Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has denied social media allegations that a mother and her newborn were denied care at the facility before the baby subsequently died, saying a review of its records found no corresponding case.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the national referral hospital said it reviewed available patient and maternity records after the allegations emerged online but could not verify the account.
“Following the posts, the Hospital reviewed available patient and maternity records but found no corresponding record to verify the account,” KNH said.
The hospital said its available information indicated that the mother did not give birth at KNH, contrary to the allegation.
“Available information indicates that the mother did not give birth at KNH, contrary to the allegation. The circumstances therefore remain unverified,” it added.
KNH extended its condolences to the affected family while inviting those with information about the reported incident to come forward.
“We invite the affected family, the individual who raised the concerns, or anyone with relevant information to contact KNH through the channels below so that the facts can be established and the matter reviewed,” the hospital said.
The statement comes as KNH faces increased pressure on its maternity services, with the hospital saying demand has risen partly because of industrial action in several counties.
The situation has also been compounded by ongoing renovations of maternity and other wards, which KNH said are being undertaken with the support of partners to modernise facilities and improve the patient experience.
The renovations have temporarily reduced the number of beds available at the hospital.
KNH said it had deployed additional medical personnel, strengthened triage and referral coordination, and continued to monitor bed and critical-care capacity to manage the increased demand.
Patients, it said, are assessed according to clinical urgency and managed within available resources, with stabilisation, escalation or referral undertaken where necessary.
“As the National Referral Hospital, KNH manages a high volume of specialised and emergency cases,” the hospital said.
It acknowledged that occasional documentation or communication gaps may occur, but stressed that these were not deliberate and should not compromise patient safety or care.