I came across a comment in a group that has wonderful women from Meru asking for the best maternity hospitals in Meru and in my quest to find out more I requested the ladies in that group to share with me their experiences and I would bring them here. It occurred to me so many people travel to hospitals in other counties yet we have hospitals in Meru.  Why?

There are a variety of reviews spanning years but I am sharing all of them with hospital names to give you an overview of what happens to your wives, sisters and girlfriends as they give life.

I  have shared about 95% of the comments and direct messages which is a good sample size to show you exactly what happens. You might have a few questions so let me address them before you read:

How can we trust this is true? Well, these women experienced it.

Why then aren’t we sharing their names? Because they deserve their privacy and I promised not to.

Why are you focusing on the patient reviews and not asking nurses/doctors? This article is specifically about the services we receive in hospitals in Meru.

Why are you not looking at the equipment? Well because I am asking about the service delivery, not equipment. Also, I need you all to start asking questions, don’t be comfortable with the status quo. You deserve to know before you get to irreversible situations. As a citizen and a consumer it is your right to know things.

Nkubu Consolata  Mission Hospital

1. On Saturday, a village mate died at Nkubu Mission hospital. This is after she had pleaded with them to operate her.

2. I can confirm that. In fact we are burying her on Monday. I also delivered my son who is now 2yrs at Nkubu en I cannot recommend it for you.

3.  I actually I have a story about Nkubu my dad’s friend nearly died there because even after an accident all they give you is pain killers. No Xray nothing.

4. Consolata Nkubu is bae too.I commend them for their efforts while I was there for maternity ,despite the congestion coz of the nurses strike.They did their Best.I begged for cs after pro longed labour and they refused…meaning they are not really after your money.They insisted that it can only done as an emergency case.I liked that big time.unlike many others i know who will push you to it in order to get your money. I will go there again and again.Thou a public hospital like Meru level 5/will always remain my first choice.

5. Nkubu I loved it my delivery was conducted by a male nurse but the lady they were on duty with talked a lot of shit. I delivered baby with distress the male nurse alimkimbisha kwa oxygen. I just thank and pray for him coz ningekuwa bila mtoi. But for that lady I pray she change her attitude I dint like her at all.

6. In nkubu the only good …..is the doctor…..who’s always too busy….coz he goes to outpatient…. And the students. There’s a lady there who’s horrible. Unfortunately l didn’t get her name. We almost quarreled…. I was telling her to call the doc to take me for cs….then she was quarreling saying am not the one who should request. The baby’s heart beat was already low……in short…..l had an emergency cs.

7.Avoid consolata nkubu at all cost. Very slow to act on emergencies. Slow slow slow is their slogan. They dont listen too. Staff: patient ratios too are bad, leading to poor attention to patients. Lab nayo utakawia ukingoja results mpaka upone. Thw ladies at the cashiers need a refresher course badly. They will tell u something, halafu ukiuliza mwingine anasema mara hajui mara si hivo…..

St. Theresa Mission Hospital – Kiirua

1.5yrs ago I had a sweet moment with Kiirua Hospital when I was delivering my daughter.That is when they were in the old maternity block.The treatment and the care for CS mothers was super.The nurses who handled me,I loved them. But I visited my friend in the new maternity block.Things changed.Mix up of everything.I dint like it.Maybe those who have delivered in the new block can give their views.

2.My son is six years now, during my time there a certain doctor changed my pad. It was superb. Nowadays its not the hospital I liked.

3.Kiirua hospital the services were good…. But the way they handle kids in the nursery ndio ilinibore….cz doc ataingia na tu students…I don’t know ama ni nurses kama 10 kuona hawa watoi! Hawa mastudent wako na perfume kila aina na the karoom nikadogo considering those babies r very delicate! Alafu natoka Cs after few hours nakuja kuitwa nikapanguze mtoi poop even stading was a problem! Infections r all over so they should protect those little souls as much as possible….. Nursery is not for the delay queens with their makeup n strong perfumes

4. Kiirua hospital, the best….the nurses I meet were just heaven send…..responded well and advised appropriately. One nilikuwa na yeye usiku even massaged my back.just loved it

5.  I can give kiirua credit…..have delivered my two babies there, and given another chance i would stil go there…..for my last born i met very gud nurses i remeber when pushing my breath was lyk inaisha en nilikua naskia kiu sana en one of them made me a cup of hot chocolate nakwambia alinikunyisha kama mtoto…i stil remember her to date

6. I had the most amazing experience at Consolata Nkubu hospital three months ago the students and nurses rubbed our backs at intervals, they would even hold our babies for us to get some sleep,I will always thank God for them!

7. Staff make the hospitals hospitable, even if you are in whatever class of hospital n unfortunate to be attended to by staff with that ka-attitude u feel out of place. Didn’t like Kiirua maternity coz of the staff who attended me.I hated the experience!!

 8. Kiirua is the best for maternity.. I was there with my first born I went through cs and the treatment was great nilikuwa ata naoshwa may God bless them all esp Dr Mwaura.

Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital

1. Go to  level 5… there is no good meal but there is professional motherly nurses there kirua and Nkubu you will be handled by students ama our lastborn sisters…days are gone when we used to have nuns and those whitecap nurses

2. Meru level 5 nhif wing I had a great experience, the staff was kind and understanding, can’t regret the 4 days I spent there after a cs.

3. This is not supremacy battle.meru level five remains the best hospital.u will have to get all consultant.peditrician.gynaecologist .oncologist.physcian.trauma and emmergency team.dentist.name all expert.rem the govt can never employ quaks.

4.True. Had my 1st kid huko BT my 2nd, no. Story ya kuamshwa 7 asubuhi after delivery n hadn’t slept the previous night, mimi sitaki. Alafu tupelekwe kuonyeshwa kufunga pampers n from 10vile walimaliza hadi 2pm when we were released, ni kusimama kando ya bed ndio watoi walale coz walikuwa wana share bed. I personally needed my rest after all that pushing na kushonwa, so huko sirudi

6. Mtrh is the best, talking out of experience, my dota is now 1½years born at 34weeks due to some complications and the response n care that i got was overwhelming.

7. Service ni poa. Naongea out of experience. On 23rd march 2016, I was to be admitted for induction bt nikaambiwa Nita have Ku share bed n I told them narudi. I didn’t. Came back the following morning. Had the baby na nikalala huko. On 25th march tuliamshwa asubuhi n taken to another room. Bed ni za watoi pekee na walikuwa wana share. Naongea chenye nili experience. N if anyone gave birth hiyo siku huko level 5, unaweza ni challenge. Otherwise, sina wazimu

8. Very true plus we should not take doc as Angels, I complained to a certain doc and he told me “mueni even doctors do die” from that day I changed my mind towards them, God ndio kila kitu.

 9. I delivered my two babies in public hospitals. One in embu and the recent in meru level 5. I had the greatest experience ever with the midwife at level 5 meru. Called Josephine. I didnt even go to the special ward. I went to the normal ward. We brought my baby together. She is the best midwife i know. She is God sent. I think whatever you give is whatever you receive. If you are rude and hard headed they will be the same too.
God bless Josephine. I had a safe deliverly even though my baby was extremly big. Never despice public hospitals. What u give is what you get

Chogoria Hospital

1.I don’t want to delve into details so I’ll just give a brief story about my experience with Chogoria hospital 5yrs ago.
After labouring for almost 20 hrs, I had an emergency C-section. This is after dilating only 3 cms for the 20hrs I laboured. They were the darkest hrs of my life. I pleaded with the nurses and even asked for a pen and paper to say goodbye to my family coz I thought I was staring at death itself. We were only two in the labour room(not ward). Unfortunately the other lady lost her baby (due to distress) After almost running mad with pain, I was rushed to the theatre where I delivered my son. He weighed 4.5kgs. Obviously, being a first time mum, there’s no way I’d have pushed such a big baby. Again, remember I had dilated only 3cms. I thought my woes had ended but woe unto me! On the 5fth day after the cs, I could not stand straight. I had to get a walking stick to help me move around. My belly divided itself into three sections. Kumbe blood and pus made up one of the sections! A condition known as haematoma. That’s why I could not stand upright coz one symptom of haematoma is a very painful back.
All this while, I thought that that was normal. On that 10th day the haematoma bust and blood equivalent to one jug oozed out. I was taken back to Chogoria and they had to squeeze out the remaining blood out. Fast forward my cs line ilipona after 2 yrs. Up to date kuna side moja siezilala nayo sana otherwise I’ll cry throughout that day. All this coz I was operated on by a student despite mine being an emergency cs.

2. My worst moment at chogoria hospital seven years ago,,I laboured for more than 15hours the following morning a nurse who was off duty came back and found me still in pain she injected me( sinto) sp to quicken the labour I don’t know where she went to when it came to delivering wakanifanyia episiotomy I delivered my child but the worst happened wakati Wa kushonwa I felt the pain they injected nothing to ease the pain they completed it (done by students in presence of a nurse) kumbe the stitches were done wrongly I had internal bleeding to cut the long story short.

I was taken back to theatre to undo and redo the stitches again blood transfusion my daughter spent in the nursery and when I regained conscience the nurse who brought her to me said ebu shika hii sumbua yako watu wapumzike ,,,,,,,,,it hurts to date am there mikono imedungwa cannot each my daughter cry +she was wet I disconnected the drip for her sake and God of miracle saved my life my family wanted to sue them but I refused . This is not fake its a true story which I can provide receipts written secondary tear wish you could add due to negligence

Milimani Maternity Hospital

1. Milimani homes hv been there twice for Cs by doc. Kitavi plus the staff en I loved how thy treat patient with professionalism.

2. Dr.Kitavi, Milimani Hospital the best.

3. Me too I’ve delivered all my kids there and i have no complains

Woodlands Hospital

1. In 2004 i delivered my baby at Woodlands and since i was naive,i discovered after 2yrs,i had a fistula.I went back to Woodlands and they acknowledged their mistake but could not correct the issue themselves.I was referred to an expensive Gynaecology Proffessor who did the correction in 2006 but i had to pay for myself coz the Insurance refused to pay for it.I expected Woodlands to take responsibility but they behaved like it was my problem.On asking the Prof what caused all that,he told me the midwife (Mrs Wangai) did not sew me well after i seriously tore my fresh during child birth.I still wonder why they did not at least share the cost of correction.And that is why i never recommend any deliveries there.

2. One day my son had a fever,a very bad fever until he convased so in the panic mode it was at night so i took him to woodlands the treatment i got was very poor,they could not touch him until i paid 2 thousands for consultation,then i was begging them to manage the fever i was told he has a bacteria infection the money that i was charged for rocephin injection!God knows i pretended i did not know anything about drugs they wanted to admit us but i refused for me woodlands its a no go zone they only value money…..they shall never have enough

3. Woodlands, from reception n staff! Cant even think of looking at it while passing.

4. Woodlands treated me for malaria in 2006 without running a pregnancy test. Kumbe i was weeks pregnant. I miscarried. Went back to the same woodlands for evacuation, i bled for a month thereafter. I would wake up and pinch myself to see if am alive coz bleeding everyday for a month is no joke.
Long story short, i can’t have my babies without the support of a McDonald stitch (cerclage). Meru hospitals are a No for me. Outspan hospital has seen me get my two babies. From clinic to last minute CS delivery. Can’t risk.

Jordan Hospital

1. Bin there, ma gal is three months en I luv luv their services. Cannot compare to Kiirua pliz. It is private, accredited by a no. of insurance companies en it is not conjested.

Family care- Meru

1. Hey,please hide my identity Family care Meru have for years been one of the best health cares in Meru but since last year theirs a CO who was brought there who has no ethics and he treats patients badly especially if u don’t look wealthy.I think anafaa aanikwe he’s so cruel to staff and patients

Karen Hospital

1. The nurses there are very rude.

2. I have been misdiagnosed with a heart condition at Karen hospital and even in my shock the Doctor delivered the news in a way that left me in tears.

Opinions

1.Remember its not th hospital name that provides th care but th qualified personnel. Apart from drug shortages n crowding in th wards public hospitals r th deal.

2. To the clients also. Attitude attitude attitude. It doesn’t matter your status quo. When you come to th hospital are all at one level n your common interest is acquiring curative services. Drop some egos n even if your served by a student don’t refer to them as “tunurses”. That qualified personnel u want him or her to attend you will retire tomorrow n if there was no mentoring of students you will find the facility closed.

3. Humility all the way,it doesn’t matter who you are or who is handling you so long as ur handled well.sometime tunajifanya tunajua sana hawa nurses wanakasirika.

4. Kwanza for us th height challenged we r viewed as junior nurses n so many r th times av let “senior” students in terms of body size attend th ego inflated clients since they perceive them as big daktari though under supervision. But am happy they leave happy having bn served by a big doctor.

P.S I believe I have not exhausted all the reviews because not everyone is on social media and not all hospitals are covered.  I am not going to include any personal opinions because I’d rather let these experiences inform you. I will also not edit the typos because I want all the comments to appear verbatim. Tell us about all your experiences in the comments, not only maternity related, everything else.

Disclaimer: The  views here  do not reflect any opinion of the Ameru.