NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has ordered the immediate closure of Chiromo Hospital Group’s Braeside branch in Nairobi, following a tragic death incident at the facility.
An autopsy report confirmed that the patient, Susan Njoki, was strangled to death while admitted at the hospital.
Dr. David Kariuki, CEO of KMPDC, in a letter addressed to the hospital’s management, cited further reports that indicated the possible involvement of a staff member in Ms. Njoki’s death.
Consequently, the council has directed the hospital to evacuate all patients from the Braeside branch within 24 hours of receiving the directive. Additionally, Chiromo Braeside has been ordered to cease all clinical services at that branch until further notice.
The hospital is also required to provide a prompt response to the KMPDC’s letter, including copies of the postmortem reports, along with all relevant patient records and documentation as requested.
Furthermore, the facility has been instructed to submit a report detailing the specific steps it has taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
“These directives are issued pursuant to CAP 253 and subsidiary legislation legal notice 171, The Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Inquiry and Disciplinary Proceedings) (Procedure) Rules 2022, Rule 8 to ensure patient safety and restore public confidence in the health system,” Dr. Kariuki stated.
An autopsy conducted by a team of six pathologists concluded that Ms. Njoki was killed approximately four hours after her last meal on Tuesday, a day after she had been admitted to the facility without her consent.
The late Ms. Njoki, who had a history of mental health treatment, had previously alleged on social media that her husband, Alloise Ngure, had sent four doctors to inject her and forcibly take her to a mental health facility against her will.
Renowned psychiatrist and founder of Chiromo Hospital Group, Dr. Frank Njenga, issued a statement on Wednesday expressing deep sorrow and remorse over Njoki’s death. He described the incident, involving a patient he knew personally, as a moment of reckoning for the facility and for mental healthcare services across the country.
Dr. Njenga emphasized that transparency and truth must be prioritized to ensure that those culpable are held accountable.
He noted that the hospital is fully cooperating with investigators and is concurrently conducting an internal review of its operational and procedural protocols in the wake of the incident.
