Editor's Review

Reports had indicated that the nationwide blackout led to the deaths of five infants at Embu Level 5 hospital.

Embu governor Cecily Mbarire has refuted claims that five infants died at the Embu Level 5 Hospital following the Friday evening blackout.

Activist Boniface Mwangi had raised the alarm after being contacted by the father of the children. 

He claimed that they had been asked for KSh 200 for each of the deceased infants' burial permits.

Mbarire however clarified that it was only one infant that was confirmed dead.

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Activist Boniface Mwangi.

The county chief executive argued that the reports were being circulated with the intent of achieving a malicious end.

"My attention has been drawn to a social media post by one Boniface Mwangi on Twitter alleging that "5 babies dead in Embu Hospital, Unnecessary, avoidable deaths." This information is not only misleading but non-factual.

"We therefore refute this allegation, whose intended purpose is not known. Data from the hospital shows that regrettably, only one(1) premature baby (born at 21 weeks) succumbed in the last 48 hours," she said.

The governor stated that all the other infants were in good shape, stating that the generators on standby at the facility came in handy following the power outage.

"There were 20 deliveries among them 8 C/Ss. All the babies are in absolute good health.
The hospital has five(5) standby generators which are functional and therefore the country-wide power blackout did not interfere with operations," she said.

She called on the public to ignore and disregard the posts that she termed "misleading and alarming", and which are not backed by facts.