Viral video that led to the suspension of top health officers was malicious

Kapsabet Wednesday June 21, 2023

KNA by Geoffrey Satia

Nandi Governor Mr. Stephen Sang has reinstated his suspended health County Executive Committee Member (CECM) and other three health officers after receiving a report by a committee tasked to investigate reported negligence that resulted in the death of a pregnant teacher at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.

The six-member committee led by Dr. Daniel Chepsiror that was tasked to investigate the circumstances preceding the demise of Ms. Nancy Chechumba Birgen concluded that the deceased did not attend Kapsabet Referral Hospital on the said date May 17 this year but had sought medical attention at a private facility and later personally requested to be taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

The Suspension of Health CECM Ruth Koech, the Chief Officer for Health Fredrick Kiptum, County Director Medical Services Dr. David Bungei and Medical Superintendent of Kapsabet Hospital Dr. Aiyebei Ismael had been lifted immediately according to the Governor.

A video of the late teacher’s funeral went viral on social media with family members and friends blaming poor health services and negligence for her death. Sang called on his political opponents not to politicize health issues as his government was open to honest and objective criticism.

“Let’s play politics with other sectors but not the health sector as it is a critical aspect of people’s lives and does not warrant politics around it,” said the Governor.

Sang observed that while he was committed to continuously improve services at Kapsabet referral hospital and other public health centers across the county, some ill intending people were out to malign his government based on malicious allegations.

He affirmed that he will not be moved by what he termed as “sideshows” while delivering the mandate given to him by Nandi electorates.

Sang appealed to health care workers across the county to take positively honest criticism from the public and always ignore malicious allegations while serving people at various public health centres.

“As public servants, it is incumbent upon you to take some of those allegations and understand the sources as some may bear some truth but if they are purely malicious, don’t allow them to trouble you,” stated the governor.

“However, I will not protect staff members who carelessly fail to perform their duties as required,” Sang told the press at Government Boardroom at Nandi County headquarters after receiving the committee's report on demise of Nancy Birgen who died on May 21 this year.

Courtesy ; K. N. A