Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale has dispatched a specialized team to investigate the mysterious death of an expectant mother at St. Elizabeth Mukumu Mission Hospital in Kakamega County. The incident, which resulted in the death of both mother and child, has sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability in Kenya’s maternal healthcare system.
Speaking on Monday in Nairobi, CS Duale confirmed that the investigative team will include officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) and Dr. Patrick Amoth, the Director General for Health at the Ministry of Health. The team’s mandate is to examine the hospital’s entire operational system to determine the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
“We are sending a team to investigate the whole ecosystem of Mukumu Hospital—why mothers are dying. We must ensure that no mother dies and no child dies. We shall look at the causes: is it blood, availability of healthcare workers, or negligence?” CS Duale said.
The deceased, identified as Grace Wambui Misigo, was admitted to the hospital on February 10, 2026, for delivery. According to her family, she began bleeding heavily while in labor, prompting medical staff to force her to deliver naturally, despite her deteriorating condition.
Family members allege that nurses on duty assaulted Grace, beating her and urging her to push the baby out. “Their job was just to beat her, telling her to push the baby out. She just told them, ‘I’m leaving my children and I’m dying,’” recounted Grace’s sister-in-law, Grace Agara.
Her brother-in-law, Daura Adai, added: “She was hit in the chest and ribs… we knew she was dead while there because blood was everywhere. There is a lot of negligence in this hospital. My sister-in-law could not have died.”
As events unfolded, medical staff reportedly recommended an emergency C-section, but it was too late. Both Grace and her child died before surgical intervention could be performed. An autopsy later confirmed that Grace’s death resulted from the rupture of several internal organs, including her ribs and uterus. Efforts to obtain a response from St. Elizabeth Mukumu Mission Hospital have so far been unsuccessful.
The tragic incident comes in the wake of the Ministry of Health’s launch of the National Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) steering committee. The committee is part of ongoing efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths across Kenya. During the launch, CS Duale emphasized that no woman should die while giving birth, and no newborn should perish due to preventable causes.
“Every woman matters. Every newborn matters. And every preventable death must be prevented. Together, with unity of purpose and unwavering resolve, we will ensure that every woman and every newborn survives and thrives—everywhere in Kenya,” he said.
The CS also announced that the Ministry of Health will soon introduce a nationwide hotline to enable citizens to report cases of suspected negligence in healthcare facilities. The hotline aims to strengthen oversight and ensure timely intervention in emergencies, particularly in maternal and newborn care.
CS Duale’s directive underscores growing concerns about the state of maternal healthcare in Kenya, where inadequate staffing, lack of essential supplies, and operational gaps have long been blamed for preventable deaths in hospitals. Advocates say the investigation into Grace’s death must serve as a wake-up call to implement stricter oversight mechanisms and enforce accountability in public and private health facilities.
The investigation team is expected to submit its findings within weeks, after which the Ministry of Health will determine appropriate disciplinary or legal actions against those found culpable. Meanwhile, the case has reignited public debates over maternal safety and the need for comprehensive reforms to prevent future tragedies.
