Kiambaa MP Njuguna Kawanjiku wants authorities to divulge details involving medical negligence and malpractices in health facilities across the country.
The legislator, who is seeking a statement from National Assembly’s Committee on Health said the increasing number of medical negligence and malpractice cases in the country has become a great concern to Kenyans.
“Urgent steps need to be taken to ensure that they are put to a stop,” he said.
The MP wants the committee to establish the number of medical negligence and malpractice cases that have been lodged with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board in the past 10 years and provide a breakdown per county.
“Out of the cases lodged above, how many have been heard and determined and how many are pending?” he asked.
He further wants the Ministry of Health to come clear on steps it is taking to ensure that cases of medical negligence and malpractice in the country are put to a stop.
Kawanjiku said the Bill of Rights, under Chapter Four of the Constitution, provides for the right to the highest attainable standards of health, which includes the right to healthcare services and reproductive healthcare.
He added that it also includes the right of every person to access emergency medical treatment.
“On one hand, medical practitioners and hospitals are expected to provide medical treatment with all their knowledge and skills. On the other hand, they are also expected not to do anything to harm patients in any manner because of negligence, carelessness or reckless attitude,” he said.
The move by the Kiambaa MP comes hot on the heels of a probe by the Senate Health Committee into allegations of negligence at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The committee has already visited Mama Lucy to probe the claims following the death of Maureen Anyango at the facility after giving birth to twins.
The 28-year-old woman delivered twins at the facility on September 6.
It has also visited KNH to dig into circumstances under which the two-year-old baby Travis died after a fork jembe got stuck in his skull in early October.
