By Maryanne W. Waweru l maryanne@mummytales.com
Media personality Ndu Okoh has shared the heartbreaking experience of how she lost her dear son, who would be turning 17 this year.
In the Spice Fm morning show on Friday 16 May 2025, which she co-hosted with panelists Mark Bichachi and Dennis Okari, Ndu emotionally recounted her painful experience.
Ndu shared that some point in the pregnancy, she developed a strong sense that something was wrong. She then called her doctor and expressed her concerns. The doctor instructed her to go to hospital which she describes as ‘one of the biggest, best hospitals in this country’. While the doctor was not present at the hospital, she nevertheless assured Ndu that she would be attended to.
Accompanied by her husband, Ndu followed the doctor’s instructions and proceeded to the hospital. However, the strong feeling that something was wrong didn’t leave her, even at the hospital.
“We did the first test and till now I don’t know what the results of that test say. It was a Sunday morning and we sat in this hospital for maybe six hours. Unbeknownst to me at that point, I was leaking amniotic fluid. So obviously at that point my baby was dying, and I didn’t know. But I’m not a doctor and I’m not a medical professional, and I was in a hospital where there were nurses, and there were doctors and there were lab techs who did tests, and they didn’t find out what the problem was. And my baby died the next day with an “I’m sorry” from the doctor.
But what she did the next day was prescribe medication for me that essentially, I went into an unintended abortion which I should have had no business taking on that day, and my son died on the 1st of September. And if they had paid a little bit more attention, if somebody had done what they were supposed to do, I would celebrate my son’s 17th birthday this year in September.
It’s 17 years later but it’s very difficult for me to talk about it. But how many people go through situations whereby we just needed you to pay a little bit more attention. We just needed you to do your job. We just needed you to not be concerned that you can prescribe 10 different tests as opposed to looking at me and saying: “what’s wrong?” Ndu said in her narration.
Among other issues, the panelists discussed some of the problems facing Kenya’s health sector, especially the commercialization of healthcare. All the panelists similarly shared their own personal experiences (including those of their kin) with challenges in seeking quality healthcare services, such as being subjected to questionable medical procedures and consultations.
The panelists called for greater accountability by healthcare providers in serving all those who seek their services.
Learn more about The Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales: Documenting Maternal Deaths in Kenya.
Also read: What makes you scared to give birth again? Kenyan mothers share their reasons
If you would like to provide any information about maternal health, or if you would like to support the Wanjiku Kumbukumbu project by Mummy Tales, please write to me at maryanne@mummytales.com
Mummy Tales by Maryanne W. Waweru is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l TWITTER
