The joy of new life turned into unbearable grief in Nairobi’s Uthiru estate when 26-year-old Faith Binzali died during childbirth at St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Health Centre in Kangemi. Her death, which occurred after a cesarean section, has left her family devastated and demanding answers over what they believe was medical negligence.
Faith was admitted to the facility on September 2, full of hope as she prepared to welcome her child. Doctors recommended a cesarean delivery, and within half an hour, her family was informed that the procedure had gone well and that her baby boy had been safely delivered. Moments later, however, the mood shifted drastically. Her father, Bernard Babu, recalls being asked to pray, before medics rushed in with what appeared to be an oxygen machine. Soon after, he was told his daughter had not survived.
In shock, Babu forced his way into the surgical ward. What he found left him shattered. “There was blood everywhere. My daughter was soaked in blood, and the doctors were nowhere to be seen,” he told reporters.
The family later moved Faith’s body to Chiromo Mortuary, where a postmortem revealed she died due to lack of oxygen to the brain, allegedly caused by an overdose of anesthesia. “The report showed they injected her with too much anesthesia. I want to know why this happened, who the doctor was, and why they couldn’t transfer her to another hospital,” Babu said, his voice heavy with grief.
For her husband, Ndung’u Mungai, the pain is immeasurable. Just days after celebrating the arrival of his son, he is mourning the loss of the woman he calls the love of his life. “She was special to me, deep in my heart. I am in so much pain. I don’t understand why the hospital has remained silent,” he lamented.
Attempts to obtain an official statement from the health centre were unsuccessful. Nurses at the facility expressed sympathy to the family but indicated that management was unavailable to comment.
Meanwhile, police have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding Faith’s death and are recording statements from individuals linked to the case.
For the Binzali family, however, no investigation will erase the painful truth—that a young mother, who had walked into hospital full of life and anticipation, never returned home to cradle her child. Their demand for justice now echoes as both a plea and a warning about accountability in Kenya’s healthcare system.
