Thika woman who expected twins delivers quadruplets
Mathew Ndung'u and Njange Maina
When Eunice Wambui, a middle-aged woman from Makongeni village of Thika in Kiambu County went for her last prenatal test, results revealed she was carrying twins.
After nine months of battling a myriad of pregnancy-related challenges, Wambui has been rewarded with quadruplets.
The woman who works as a casual labourer successfully delivered to three girls and a boy on Saturday through a caesarian section immediately on admission to St. Mulumba Mission Hospital in Thika.
Unfortunately, one of the girls succumbed to exhaustion minutes after delivery, but leaving the rest in a stable condition.
Among the three babies, two of them weigh 2kgs (boy and a girl) each while the other girl weighs 1.9 kgs.
“We received Wambui as an emergency whereupon taking her to the theatre, four infants were extracted among whom one succumbed to exhaustion while the rest are breastfeeding well,” Regina Wambui Nderitu, the head of reproductive health department at the hospital told journalists.
According to the mother, carrying the pregnancy had its equal challenges since she washes clothes for a livelihood while her husband is a tout at Makongeni bus stage.
“We had not planned for four children and it is indeed a shock to us even as we thank God for the blessing. My last scan revealed that I was carrying two babies,” Wambui told journalists at her hospital bed.
The couple lives in a single-roomed house at an informal settlement in Makongeni, and they said they cannot manage to sustain the immediate needs of the children.
Njomo Kiogora, the husband said his work is not fulfilling as he only manages to put food on the table besides paying the house rent.
“It’s a task that will require me to go an extra mile to make ends meet. If there are well-wishers out there who can help me bring up the children, we will appreciate it as a family,” he said.
The family pleaded with well wishers to help them meet immediate needs as they stabilise their sources of income.
“We plead with people of goodwill to come to our aid,” pleaded Kiogora.
Wambui is expected to be discharged on Monday after the three children were found to be stable.
A Thika-based Whatsapp group has started a campaign to support the needy family and has asked other well wishers to join in sending their gifts to the couple.
Additional Reporting by Njange Maina
