This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
On a typical weekend, government hospitals in Kenya often operate with skeleton staff. However, for Dr. Swabra Swaleh, a renowned gynaecologist, this was no ordinary weekend. In a remarkable display of dedication to her work, she performed a surgery while carrying her six-year-old son on her back at Kalou District Hospital in Nyandarua County on June 2020.
According to Dr. Swaleh, the incident occurred when she was called upon to attend to an emergency. A woman experiencing labour pains urgently needed a cesarian delivery, and Dr. Swaleh was the only available doctor. With no other support system available, she had to make a difficult decision - leave her son down or take him with her to the operating room.
“Government hospitals as we know, have skeleton staff during the weekends. My son was crying, do I leave him down as I do the surgery?” Dr. Swaleh stated.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Swaleh remained focused on her task. She recalled that her son slept throughout the procedure, and the surgery was successful. The gynaecologist is currently based at Premier hospital in Mombasa and has spoken about the importance of maternal care, highlighting that each pregnancy comes with unique risks, ranging from age to pre-existing medical conditions.
