Claims of breastfeeding mothers being raped at the Kenyatta National Hospital have emerged.
Reports indicated that mothers who go through Cesarean
are at a risk when they go to breastfeed their newborns.
With the arrival of the babies, mothers are expected to go and
breastfeed their babies every two hours in the nurseries located on another floor, separate from their wards.
There are now claims that this exercise is hindered and complicated by the threat of rape and theft they face on their way to the nurseries.
"Security is a big issue especially for mothers whose kids are in the nursery. The nurseries are on the ground floor and
the mothers on the third floor. Today met a lady who was nearly raped," social media user
Mildred Owiso said.
Owiso who was just a passerby at the vicinity posted on a "Buyers Beware" Facebook page, that attracted many responses from other women with similar experiences.
"The lady had gone to breastfeed her baby at about 3am. Only thing that saved her the rape ordeal was her voice," Owiso said.
She said the lady managed to scream her alleged attacker off.
"Never mind this is someone who had her twins via cesarian and has barely healed. Such vulnerable mothers need protection," she added.
Owiso was echoed by another woman who did not want to be named saying that rape was real at the hospital.
"Rape in KNH hasn't started today. Those mums with kids in the nursery go through a mess. They get raped by the mortuary attendants who collect bodies from wards," she said.
The woman said when they were admitted to the hospital they used to go to the nursery in a group of seven to 10 mums.
She said that the men would threaten them not to make noise or they would face the consequences of their actions.
"Jaribu kupiga nduru tukufanye mananasi{dead}," she said adding that "such a pity because they treat them like those dead people".
Another woman said the rape story was true adding that men who move bodies to the mortuary are the culprits and need to be punished.
"I was there back in 2016 November and that rape story its true. We used to go as a group of women to the nursery especially at 12am and 3am lest you meet the guys who go to the wards to collect dead bodies," she said.
She said when you meet the men in the corridor they uncover the bodies to scare the women who are going to the nursery.
"It's very stressful especially when you are bleeding and having stitches down there and you cant even run for your safety," she said.
"So those planning to deliver there, be on the lookout especially at night don't dare risk going to the nursery alone."
'Not true?'
KNH communication officer Simon
Ithai
has refuted claims that the hospital is unsafe for the lactating mothers.
"That is unfounded and we have not recorded such complaints. We have 24 hours security at the hospital including in the wards," Ithai
said
Ithai said the hospital has a police post to ensure that security is guaranteed.
"These prison wardens help in manning the prisoners but they also help in the security of the hospitals. If somebody is alleging this then it is unfounded," he said.
He said the only issue that has happened is pickpocketing at the hospital but noted that during the night there are no reports of insecurity.
"Breastfeeding is scheduled and there is a time for feeding the babies. You find everybody moving at the same time to breastfeed the babies," he said.
Ithai said the doctors and nurses go to the ward at the same time.
"During the night we have over 300 security offices and those are our security officers alone," he said.
Mortuary attendants operate in the wards during the day. There's no collection of bodies at night. If a person has died the body is collected during the day.
"They don't hover around at night, they have to be called to the ward. They don't go looking for the bodies. it is an organised system," he said.
"I don't know
why they have picked such allegations."
High percent
sexually violated
According to the United Nations, it is estimated that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner at some point in their lives.
However, some national studies show that up to 70 per cent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.
The UN states that around 120 million girls worldwide have experienced forced intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point in their lives.
'Probe allegations'
The doctors union has condemned the assault of a patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Addressing journalists on the sidelines of their meeting at a Nairobi hotel, chair of the union Samuel Oroko wants the management of the hospital to investigate the matter.
"We don't want to believe that the incident happened but if it did we condemn it in the strongest terms possible,"
Oroko said.
"We also want action taken on the culprit if found culpable. KNH must carry out investigations and whoever did it should bear all the consequences."
Additional reporting by Rhoda Odhiambo