Kijabe Hospital to compensate widow whose husband died in botched surgery

AIC Kijabe Hospital has been ordered to pay a widow whose husband died in a botched brain surgery Ksh6 million.

In her ruling, Justice Lucy Njuguna cited medical negligence that led to the lead surgeon removing part of Michael Mwangi’s brain instead of a tumour.

The judge ruled that were it not for the medical team’s fatal mistake, Mwangi who died at the age of 37 years would still be alive and fending for his family.

“The deceased was the breadwinner for the family and as a result of his death, the dependents have lost the support that they used to get from him. The court finds that the hospital breached the duty of care owed to the deceased and must compensate his family,” ruled justice Njuguna.

Mwangi’s widow Monica Wairimu had sued the hospital and lead surgeon Leland Albright for the death of her husband claiming general damages and compensation for the pain the hospital subjected him to before he died.

In her statement, she told the court that she took her husband to the hospital in October 2012 after he complained of severe headache.

The doctors told the family that they had discovered a brain tumour which required surgery to remove.

The court heard that Mwangi was admitted on December 16, 2016, and the operation done on December 27, 2012.

Soon after, the woman said, her late husband was taken to the Intensive is done Unit (ICU) until January 16, 2013, when he was transferred to the general ward but died seven days later.