This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
The Tragic Death of Marianne Awuor ¶
Marianne Awuor, a 32-year-old nurse from Homa Bay County, died on Sunday, two weeks after giving birth to her first child, who was born healthy.
Awuor, a theatre nurse, 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 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.
County Health executive Sarah Omache denied the reports of neglect at the Kisii facility.
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.
