Residents of Ngurunga village in Ithanga Gatanga lower Murang’a are demanding for the closure of a local church which does not allow it’s followers to go to hospital when they fall sick.
The residents said a handful of people have lost their lives and they now want the government to take action to avert more deaths.
The outcry comes days after a 30 year old woman died while giving birth in her home earlier in the week.
Stella Njeri is said to have developed birth complications and one of the residents alerted a health officer who rushed to her rescue and had an ambulance ferry her to Maragua hospital.
However after arrival at the facility, Njeri and her husband remained adamant that she will not be admitted to have a cesarean section delivery
as advised by the doctor.
Ceciliah Mahinde a health officer who had accompanied Njeri said her husband appended a signature on the hospital records that he won’t allow the wife to be admitted at the hospital.
“I took alot of time to convince them to go to hospital for safe delivery but even after getting there they were adamant to be attended to by any doctor”she said.
Njeri reportedly died soon after getting back home from the hospital.
The residents out of fury threatened to set their home on fire in show of protest for her death claiming that this is not the first incident to occur.
Mary Wambui one of the residents said about six other people have died under similar circumstances for failing to seek medical attention.
Wambui said the church called Kigoocho has strict doctrines which do not allow its followers to go to hospital.
“The followers, when they fall sick are advised to stay indoors as their leaders pray for them to get healed”she said.
Further, she said the founding bishop of this church, his wife and four children died at separate times after failing to seek treatment when they got sick.
John Waithaka another resident said the government should take action against the leaders of this church saying they take advantage of vulnerability of the people to brainwash them.