Operations at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Hospital were on Monday suspended for fumigation after Medics at the facilities reportedly handled the body of suspect covid 19 case.
Medical officer in charge of the health facility Dr.Ruth Mugo said the closure was necessitated after the staff handled a body of a 5 month old child who had been brought to the facility for certification as per regulations.
The doctor clarified that immediately after the clinicians on duty confirmed the death, they called in police to come for the body but they declined and noted that the surveillance team should first go to the hospital to confirm the cause of death before they could be involved.
She further explained that the father of the deceased whose father works at the University in Juja had spent the day at Thika level 5 hospital and that when they returned home, the condition of the child deteriorated and that when they were still planning on their next move, the child passed on.
Dr.Mugo observed that the staff who had handled the child were advised not to go to their homes so that they can be isolated from their families since it was not known what the child had died of.
“By the time of going to press at 3.30 .m, the body had been put into a body bag but had not been taken away but the surveillance department led by Flora had taken over the issue” she said.
She added that they had already fumigated the entire hospital and that possibly by tomorrow, the hospital will resume normal services.
A Notice put on the gate of the hospital which serves a large population of residents of Juja’s Gachororo estate stated “The hospital shall today remain closed for fumigation”
By Lydia Shiloya
