10 NEWS NAIROBI STAR Tuesday, 27 January 2009

BOTCHED TREATMENT LEADS TO

WOMAN’S ARM BEING AMPUTATED
BY CAROLINE MANGO has the power to either de-
PHOTO/GEORGE OCHIENG

register, suspend for up to

A PATIENT at the Coast
General Hospital had her
left arm amputated yester-
day following a botched
treatment.
A doctor, two nurses and
the hospital’s administra-
tion officials, who are at
the centre of the profes-
sional blunder on Mwana-
hamisi Kombo, 23, are set
to appear before the Medi-
cal Practitioners and Den-
tists Board (MPBD).
Kombo’s arm had to be
amputated after she de-
veloped a condition called
gangrene, which threat-
ened to spread to the rest
of her body.
Kombo, who was suffer-
ing from tuberculosis, had
a plastic glove tied to her
left arm for more than 10
hours after a vein search to
administer a drip.
Her family had initially
refused to assent to the am-
putation, but reversed their
position to save the life of
the mother of two.
The medical board,
which is a regulatory au-
thority for those practis-
ing medicine and dentistry
three years or order fresh
training of its members, if
found guilty of any profes-
sional misconduct.
The MPBD executive of-
ficer Daniel Yumbya, con-
firmed yesterday the board
had sent an orthopedic
surgeon to the hospital to
investigate the alleged pro-
fessional negligence.
The orthopedic expert,
a professor Gakuu, who
is a member of the board’
Preliminary Investigations
Committee (PIC), is ex-
pected to report back to
the board after undertak-
ing preliminary investiga-
tions.
Said Yumbya yesterday:
“We have already con-
tacted the hospital and we
have opened a file to inves- BLUNDER: Mwana Hamisi Komba in her bed at the Coast General hospital. Her arm was amputated due to medical error.
tigate those behind what
seems to be another case of left leg’s toes over a similar to the Medical Services di- were handling her at the help I can get to keep my
professional misconduct. condition. rector for action. referral facility. family going and enable
Although she has been am- According to investiga- When the Nairobi Star “I am still in so much me to continue fending for
putated, investigations will tions by MPDB, paramedics visited Kombo at the hos- pain. How will my life be my children. I also pray
still go on.” at the hospital pierced her pital yesterday, she was still with only one arm? I came that the government brings
Only eight months ago, artery instead of her veins. writhing in pain. here with a chest ailment to book those who are re-
another professional blun- Yumbya said yesterday in- Kombo said her life and I will now be leaving sponsible for my current
der on the then nine-month- vestigations by the board had changed dramatically without an arm,” Kombo condition so that this does
old baby, Rose Mwaka, led on Rose’s case had been through the painful cir- said. not happen to any other
to the amputation of her completed and forwarded cumstances by those who She added: “I need all the person.”

REPUBLIC OF KENYA Motorists decline Bandits set

vehicle ablaze
to pay parking HEAVILY armed bandits
set a car ablaze before

fees in Machakos robbing passengers at gun

point.
The incident took place
in Kachira, 30 km from
BY WAMBUA KAVILA Kapedo in Lokori Division,
Turkana South District.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE THE Machakos Municipal Turkana South DC
Council has introduced Joseph Kanyiri, who is also

PUBLIC NOTICE
parking fees amid protests
from motorists accustomed
to free parking.
Saloon car owners will
pay Sh50 daily though
Following the declaration by H.E. Hon Mwai Kibaki, CGH, many motorists snubbed
MP, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces council collectors saying
the parking areas were
of the Republic of Kenya vide Legal Notice No. 4/2009 that dusty and unmarked.
“We will acquire clamps
the current period of prolonged drought is a national very soon to enforce the
calamity or disaster, and in accordance with the provisions of payments as we seek to
increase revenue and
item 20 of Part B of the Fifth Schedule to the East African
decongest the town cen-
Community Customs Management Act, the Minister for tre,” Town Clerk Stephen
PLAN: Mutula
start charging,” a motor-
ist, Mutua Muli, said after
the district security com-
mittee chairman, said there
was a heavy exchange of
fire between the police and
the bandits.
He said policemen were
dispatched to the scene to
pursue the gunmen. One
passenger was injured
during the attack while 13
passengers on the pick-up
fled into the bush.
Boy’s body

Mbondo said.
Finance directs as follows:- Many motorists, he said,
park and leave for Nairobi
by matatus and buses and
Any maize imported into the country between the 16th return at night, hence deny-
ing other motorists space.
January, 2009 and the 16th July, 2009 shall be cleared Mbondo said the
through the customs without payment of duty. introduction of fees was
in the spirit of minister
Mutula Kilonzo’s Nai-
robi Metropolitan Plan in
Dated the 24TH January 2009. which Machakos has been
incorporated under the
metropolis.
UHURU KENYATTA. EGH, MP “Why should I pay to
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER & MINISTER FOR FINANCE park in a dusty undesig-
nated area. They should
mark the parking then
declining to pay the fees.
The council has em-
barked on an ambitious
street lighting project and
to rehabilitate the towns
roads.
Councillors regularly vis-
it the bus park and spend
time monitoring revenue
collectors at work in a bid
to ensure the council does
not lose money through
corruption.
Machakos mayor Fidelis
Kimuyu said since Macha-
kos will be part of Nairobi,
it has to upgrade its infra-
structure.
found in dam
THE body of an 18-year-
old boy who drowned on
Sunday morning while fish-
ing in a dam was yesterday
found floating. John Mutua
Wambua is said to have
gone fishing with three of
his friends at the dam in
Micarara estate in Ngegu
village at 11am when he
drowned. One of his friends
said Wambua swam too far
off the shore. The body was
taken to Kimbra mortuary
in Kiambu.