KNH Says Extreme Prematurity Led to Deaths of Quintuplets

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has explained the circumstances surrounding the deaths of five premature babies transferred from Thika Level Five Hospital for specialised neonatal care.

The quintuplets were born at 25 weeks of gestation and transferred to KNH after their delivery in Thika. The hospital said they arrived weighing between 630 and 800 grammes, compared with an average full-term birth weight of 3.2 to 3.3 kilogrammes.

KNH said the infants required intensive medical care because of their extreme prematurity and very low birth weights. A multidisciplinary team of neonatologists, nurses and allied health professionals provided round-the-clock care and used advanced interventions to stabilise the babies. Despite these efforts, all five died from complications associated with their fragile condition.

KNH said, as a national referral and teaching hospital, it regularly receives patients requiring specialised treatment that may not be available at regional facilities.

The deaths have also prompted questions about neonatal capacity in county hospitals. 

Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a and Juja MP George Koimburi criticised Kiambu County's preparedness, arguing that a better-equipped neonatal unit at Thika Level Five Hospital could have reduced the risks associated with transferring critically ill newborns to Nairobi.

Meanwhile, comedian and philanthropist Eric Omondi has mobilised support for the bereaved family through his “Sisi Kwa Sisi” campaign. He has urged Kenyans to contribute towards funeral and medical expenses while calling for improvements in emergency newborn care.