This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
The Tragic Death of Marianne Awuor ¶
Marianne Awuor, a 32-year-old theatre nurse from Homa Bay County, died on Sunday, two weeks after giving birth to a healthy baby, while on oxygen support, due to complications from COVID-19.
Awuor, who was born on July 24, the same date as that of her first-born child's birth, had contracted the coronavirus at 33 weeks of pregnancy and gave birth normally. She was found infected on July 20 and had symptoms including difficulty breathing, a cough, and chills, but she had also tested negative three times.
Her husband, Stephen Okal Oketch, said that Awuor had booked a cake a month ago to celebrate their child's birth as well as her birthday but her admission to hospital prevented this. 'I will collect the cake after her burial, which is scheduled for Friday, and celebrate with the rest of the family,' he said.
Awuor's death has exposed deficiencies in county hospitals when it comes to handling COVID-19 patients. It emerged that she was moved to Kisii County Teaching and Referral Hospital because of a lack of specialists in her home county. Earlier, the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) claimed that the patient had not been reviewed by any specialist since her admission at KTRH yet she needed intensive care.
Okal and his father, Barack Oketch Amwata, have faulted the KTRH, saying medics neglected her when they learned she was infected. 'Doctors and nurses at KTRH are on a go-slow because they have not received their salaries. Our patient was left unattended from Friday last week with our newborn left to feed on air,' Okal claimed.
County Health executive Sarah Omache denied the reports of neglect at the Kisii facility. However, Awuor's family said her condition worsened last Friday, and they were not officially informed that she had tested positive and were updated by a nurse who saw them in agony.
Following Awuor's death, Okal moved their son to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga hospital in Kisumu. 'He is still in the incubator. This is for feeding purposes … he is being fed via pipes,' he said, adding his wife left him a 'wonderful gift.'
Awuor had been a theatre nurse for almost a year. Rachuonyo was her first posting and she had worked there in different departments since 2014. Her boss, Dr Stephen Okello, said she loved her job. 'I am a surgeon. We worked together in the theatre. She loved her job and attended to her patients with passion,' he said.
Earlier on Monday, health workers in Homa Bay downed their tools accusing the county of exposing them to the virus by failing to hire specialists for the ICU and other departments. Kevin Osuri, Nyanza chair of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), said it does not have staff to handle critical cases.
