Government issues new statement over rape reports at KNH

juma chrispinus

January 19, 2018 1:49 PM

Reports emerged on Friday that mothers have been repeatedly raped by mortuary attendants at the facility.

Health CS Dr Cleopas Mailu on Friday ordered investigations into the alleged rape ordeals at the Kenyatta National Hospital and provide a report on Monday, January 22.

The former Chief Executive Officer of the facility said via Twitter that he had instructed the management to beef up security measures to protect patients and their relatives.

Kenyans on social media on Friday woke up to reports of newly delivered mothers being raped at the Kenyatta Hospital's maternity ward.

The discussion started after one user reported an incident where a thief was caught stealing from a patient. The same user claimed that on the same day, a woman was rescued from an attempted rape after she screamed off her attackers.

The post inspired numerous stories from social media users who claimed to have witnessed or experienced similar horrific experiences.

Other users explained that mortuary attendants normally scare off the mothers, threaten them with death, before raping them.

One user claimed that in 2013 where she went to deliver her baby, the nurses had warned her to never use the lifts at night and to move around the wards in the company of her colleagues in the maternity hostel.

“Rape in KNH hasn’t started today…Those mums with kids in nursery go through mess. They get raped by the mortuary attendants, when I was admitted, they used to go as a group of 7-10 mums,” one user narrated.

There were also claims that some homeless and mischievous people normally feign illness to spend a night at KNH from where they are able to mete out crimes against unsuspecting patients.

Pulselive.co.ke contacted the administration of Kenyatta hospital and confirmed receiving the complaints. The communications officer intimated that investigators were already on the ground.

However, KNH termed some of the accounts as “fake news” meant to attract attention.

“One of the post claims that the mothers’ hostel is on the third floor and the nursery on the ground floor. The truth is that the hostel is on ground floor while the nursery is on the first floor,” a communications officer explained.'

juma chrispinus