Kenyan Nurse Admits Handing Wrong Patient To Brain Surgeon

A Kenyan nurse has admitted she was the one who sent the wrong patient for brain surgery – but has blamed a heavy workload for the mistake.

Mary Nyambura Wahome told a parliamentary committee she only realised the mistake after surgeons called the ward to say they could not find the blood clot, hours into the operation.

The mix-up at Nairobi’s Kenyatta National Hospital made headlines across the world after it emerged earlier this month.

Surgeons operated on a man believing he had a blood clot on the brain. However, the man who eneded up on the table, Samuel Wachir, only needed non-invasive treatment for swelling.

The parliamentary committee was told the mix-up had left Mr Wachir with memory loss.

According to local media, Ms Wahome said she was one of three nurses in charge of 61 patients that day.

The hearing also revealed only private patients were given wristbands with their names on when arriving at the hospital.

She said she had sent the man to surgery after calling out the patient’s name, John Nderitu, and receiving an answer. She said the man, who she described as confused, was next to a file with Mr Nderitu’s name.