Why five premature babies were transferred from Thika Level Five to KNH

Mercy Kanini at Thika Level Five Hospital where she gave birth to quintuplets.

Five premature babies born at Thika Level Five Hospital in Kiambu County were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) hours after their birth because they required specialised neonatal care that could not be adequately provided at the county facility.

The babies, four girls and a boy, were delivered through normal delivery on September 13 after their mother, 28-year-old Mercy Kanini, went into labour at about 1 am.

According to Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Health Services Dr Elias Maina, Kanini was admitted to the labour ward at Thika Level Five Hospital at about 7 am with established labour.

Her pregnancy was estimated at 25 weeks and six days based on her dates and an ultrasound scan.

Three obstetric scans had shown that she was carrying quintuplets.