Furore as Kisii conjoined twins’ death could be avoided

I was shocked to read that conjoined twins born at Kisii Level Five Hospital a couple of days ago died on the road. This was while on transfer to Kenyatta National Hospital by means of a motor vehicle ambulance.

Yes, it is agreed that the mortal twins were one day going to die or live one way or the other. But it is un-acceptable that they had to succumb to their deaths while on escort in a motor vehicle ambulance even at our level of development.

It is both professionally and administratively unacceptable that the twins had to meet their deaths on the road. Medics who agreed to refer the twins to KNH knew and ought to have known how delicate the two-three day old twins were to be transferred by road.

Needless to belabour, the story would have been much different if the twins were born of the medics, their relatives, who-is-who, MCA’s, Governors, MPs, and Senators et al of the greater Omugusii community. Their Siamese twins would have been flown to KNH by means of the chopper matatus that have become the latest modes of travel of the rich and mighty in Kenya.

I wished the medics contacted Amref flying doctor services which should have air-lifted the twins, pro-bono as they have always done. This is a wake-up call to those who manage health services in the country and counties.

I don’t know the medics who decided to transfer the twins to KNH by road; neither do I recollect having worked with them in the Ministry of Health during my days. So I have nothing personal, nothing untoward them and no bone to chew with them, me living in Kisumu county and Miwani in particular.

But as a Kenyan, and as a warning to others not to repeat such like omissions and commissions, I opine that both corrective and punitive measures be taken against those who allowed the twins to be escorted by road. For God sake, let the axe not fall on poor nurses, admininstrators and drivers as usual.