KEWOPA Calls for Shutdown of Kisii Health Facility Following Tragic Death of Mother and Child
The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) has issued a strong demand for immediate action from both the Ministry of Health and the Kisii County Government, following a harrowing incident at Magena Dispensary in Kisii County where a mother and her newborn tragically lost their lives while seeking medical attention. The association is calling for the immediate closure of the facility, citing gross negligence and systemic failure within the healthcare system.
Led by Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala, KEWOPA members conducted a fact-finding visit to the dispensary, where they were met with disturbing conditions that raised serious questions about the facility’s ability to provide even the most basic medical services. The legislators expressed outrage at the state of the dispensary, describing it as unfit for human treatment and likening it to a dilapidated structure not even suitable for livestock.
“This place shouldn’t be called a hospital,” Adagala said during the visit. “It’s worse than a cattle shed. It doesn’t meet any standards of a health facility. We are demanding that the Ministry of Health take immediate action and close this dispensary before more lives are lost.”
The MPs further called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the facility’s senior management, citing negligence and a lack of urgency that they believe directly contributed to the tragic deaths. According to a postmortem report, the mother died as a result of prolonged labour, which she endured while waiting for medical personnel who reportedly failed to respond in time.
In addition to the delayed response, KEWOPA members were appalled by the lack of basic amenities at the dispensary. They found that the bed the deceased woman had been placed on was broken, and the facility lacked access to essential services such as electricity and running water. Such conditions, they noted, not only put patients at risk of poor health outcomes but also increase the chances of infections spreading within the facility.
Doris Aburi, a KEWOPA member and MP from the region, echoed the concerns, saying, “We have walked through this dispensary and found it in an utterly deplorable state. There is nothing here that resembles a place where human beings should seek help. It is unacceptable that women are still dying during childbirth because of such preventable failures.”
The legislators emphasized that the incident reflects a broader crisis in the healthcare system, particularly in rural and underserved areas. They pointed to Kenya’s alarmingly high maternal mortality rate—estimated at 594 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2024—ranking it among the top four highest in Africa. This figure, they warned, is a clear indication that the country is not on track to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of reducing maternal deaths to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
The KEWOPA team committed to pushing for a nationwide audit of rural health facilities to ensure that they meet the minimum standards required for maternal and child health care. They also called on the national government to allocate more resources toward improving healthcare infrastructure and staffing, especially in high-risk and neglected areas.
As the nation mourns the loss of yet another mother and child, KEWOPA’s outcry underscores the urgent need for reform, accountability, and investment in Kenya’s healthcare system to protect the lives of its most vulnerable citizens.
