Family of woman whose leg was amputated consider suing hospital

The family of a 39-year-old woman whose leg was amputated after a boda boda accident is considering suing a hospital that she was taken into immediately after the accident on Monday 25th July this year.

The leg of Mrs. Ann Boit was amputated at Tenwek mission hospital two weeks ago after she was transferred by her relatives from Longisa referral county hospital where she had earlier been admitted after the incident two weeks earlier.

The mother of seven sustained serious injuries on her right foot after a motorbike she was riding on was involved on a head on collision with another bike at Ol bobo trading on her way home.

The family members claimed that they will move to court to sue the management of Longisa hospital allegedly for negligence against the patient when she was admitted for two weeks an eventuality that cost her leg.

Members of her family had demanded for her release so that they could take her to a hospital of their choice after they felt their patient was not receiving enough attention.

“We took her to Tenwek hospital where it was discovered that the foot had become septic and a day later after admission she was amputated.” A family member who identified himself only as Mr. Chebusit said.

He added that he could not understand how someone could lose a leg yet initial x-ray results showed that her injuries could be contained and that such action could not have been necessary if she had been considered for referral earlier.

However, a senior medical officer at Longisa who is privy to the patient’s condition and who did not want to be named said that the patient had been cautioned that the leg was in bad shape and could prompt amputation if its condition did not improve.

“We told the family that three bones had broken in her foot and if the condition did not improve it could reach a point that amputation could be necessary. It was during the process that we were still monitoring her condition when her relatives came and demanded to take her to a hospital of her choice.” The medic said.

Another point of concern for the family was that they were charged what they thought was not appropriate when they found that the bill had two entry for bed which read in the receipt as bed-3900/= and bed (female) 3900/=.

“We were asked to pay Sh.21,000 but ended up paying Sh.17,000 which we are not sure if it was procedural because the entry for bed is twice and bargaining has never been a practice in hospital bills.” Mr. Chebusit said.

But, when interviewed the hospital’s acting superintendent Mr. David Barkash told the press at his office that the receipt was computer generated and there was nothing un-procedural about the total bill.

Reached for comment over the phone Dr. Isaac Birech of Longisa hospital who operated the patient after the accident said three bones in her right foot had sustained multiple fractures and it was on record that there was likelihood that the patient’s foot could be amputated considering the gravity of her injury.

Recently a parliamentary committee on resolution called on boda boda operators in Bomet County to ensure that they had driving licenses, helmets and reflectors with an aim of reducing road accidents.

The resolution team led by Naivasha MP Mr. John Kihagi was in Bomet with four other MPs including Bomet East MP Mr. Bernard Bett, Kapenguria MP Mr. Samuel Moroto, Kisii Woman Rep Mary Sally Otara and Matthew Lempurkel (Laikipia North) in the committee to hear the concerns raised by boda boda operators in the county.

Bomet County Commissioner Mr. Bernard Leparmarai noted that cases involving boda bodas had at one point became excessive and that over the last two years more than 70 accident victims had had their limps amputated following boda boda accidents.