By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: 28 children from Akichelisit in Busia County who sustained injuries in 2015 as a result medical malpractice have been compensated 42.88M ksh from county government of Busia.
The children suffered paralysis after being injected of Malaria at a local dispensary. They received the injections at Akichelesit dispensary in Teso North in July 2015.
They developed complications ranging from weak limbs, hands and spinal cords. Some of them have been reported to be mentally challenged.
Busia county deputy governor Mose Mulomi said the money will be shared among the affected children through their lawyers as per court ruling in 2019.
Addressing the media during the handing over of the cheque to their lawyer, Mulomi said, the process of compensating the children took longer than expected due to bureaucratical procedures involved in securing the money.
Mulomi who doubled up as the CEC member in the department of health in Busia government said the government will pay the balance of 19M in the next financial year totaling to sh62M.
“After the assembly approved our budget it enabled us get sh42, 800,000 to pay the affected persons as per the court ruling. The court did assessment and awarded each child as per the injuries he/she sustained as per the medical assessment,” he said
He however urged the parents to put the money to good use adding that the children will require the money in future.
According to him of 28 children, 17 did not have any physical problem, 5 had 20 percent injuries, 1 had 10 percent injuries and 5 had 5 percent injuries respectively.
Parents through their representative Mathews Adejai applauded the move by the county government saying, although their children will live with permanent mark of disabilities the rest of their lives the token is a hope for them.
“We all know that the compensation will not rectify the damage our children got, but the little we have received today will cushion us at some point for the better of our children’s future,” he said.
He called upon the office of the governor to keep doing a follow up on the children condition to know how they are doing and offer a helping hand when the need arise.
Bernard Ombui, the lawyer representing the children said they will save a bigger percent of the money in the children’s account to better their future.
He asked parents to be patient as they wait for the balance the government has promised to clear in the next financial year.
“We will save a bigger percent of this money to benefit the children when they turn of age as per court ruling. I also wish to urge the parents to keep the same spirit of being patient as we wait for the balance, we have come from far,” he said.
