Family Accuses Machakos Hospital Of negligence After 8-year-old Daughter Succumbs To Snake Bite

A snake that bit a standard three 8-year-old girl at Maweli Primary School in Mwala, Machakos County on Wednesday leading to her death./ GEORGE OWITI.
A snake that bit a standard three 8-year-old girl at Maweli Primary School in Mwala, Machakos County on Wednesday leading to her death./ GEORGE OWITI.
An 8-year-old girl has died after she was bitten by a snake in Mwala, Machakos County.

The class three pupil was reportedly bitten by a python while playing with her friends at Maweli Primary School in Ndandani village on Tuesday.

The deceased's parents have taken the blame on doctors at the Machakos Level Five Hospital who they accuse of negligence.

They question the manner in which the doctors handled the incident leading to the demise of their daughter.

According to the deceased's mother Peninah Nzwili, the hospital did not take their case as an emergency, they were forced to wait in a queue just like other patients.

Nzwili said the doctors' negligence caused her daughter's death .

"If only they listened to me that my case was an emergency, my daughter could have been alive today," she said on the phone.

She said the deceased had earlier received first aid at Mwala Level Four Hospital before she was referred to the Machakos Level Five Hospital.

Nzwili said the family was forced to rush their deceased daughter to Machakos in a hired taxi after they were told the Mwala Level Four Hospital's ambulance was not in good condition.

She said the doctors at the Machakos Level Five Hospital did not take blood samples of the deceased.

"There was no blood samples taken from my daughter at the Machakos Level Five Hospital, she was instead given an injection and discharged, " she said.

Nzwili said she was given a list of medicine to buy for the girl as she was being discharged.

She said the girl's situation worsened on arrival home forcing them to return her to the nearby Mwala Level Four Hospital where the doctor said the girl needed to be put in oxygen.

Nzwili said the daughter was again referred from the hospital to Machakos Level Five Hospital.

She died on Friday in a taxi on the way to the latter hospital.

The body was moved to Machakos Level Five Hospital's mortuary.

The family now demands explanations from the Machakos Level Five Hospital and the Machakos County Government's leadership on the circumstances under which their daughter died.

BY GEORGE OWITI.