Raila: His case and how other nations treat VIPs

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s decision to rush to the doctor is what may have secured his life given the complications that could follow an untreated brain clot. Because rarely does one walk into a hospital and end up in theatre, Raila hoped to be out early and in time to watch the ongoing World Cup matches.

The most urgent questions are; what plans are there for our VIPs that Raila could have benefited from had his situation deteriorated in public? Is there a standby evacuation team? Would his handlers have fought through traffic like everyone else? What about the hospitals?

Do they have VIP rapid response teams or it is the normal wait-and-receive arrangement? What would have been done had he been in one of the remotest corners of the country?

Our enquiries revealed no emergency medical teams for dire situations that may occur when VIPs are on duty.

Even for the President, who has had a history of troubled health following the 2002 near-fatal road accident, the case may not be so different, except he has a doctor on standby and helicopter crews a call away.

But compared say to American Presidents, the Kenyan leader has no clear-cut emergency intervention except the plans laid out on ad hoc basis, depending on their medical history. Therefore, because of past fears for President Kibaki, his cardiologist Dr Dan Gikonyo is never far away.

Dr Gikonyo took charge of Kibaki’s treatment in 2002 when he dislocated his right foot ankle and fractured an upper right arm.

This set off a chain of life-threatening conditions in his system. He is still with the President seven years later, along with a physiotherapist assigned to him before he was flown to London then.

Today, the President radiates the picture of a man on the rebound, buoyed by good health and high spirits. To compliment his recovery, he is reported to have stopped taking alcohol and ensures he sticks to good nutrition and check-ups.

But admittedly, the 24-hour medical surveillance dedicated to him does not compare to that of US, which for historical reasons, is replete with assassinations and heart seizures. Take the example of President George Bush who in 2002 choked on a cookie and fainted.
Ronald Reagan

Though he was alone in the room, his doctor was next door. Within seconds, he was under emergency medical care. How?

He passed out for a few seconds, then woke up and called for help. But even if he had not, the surveillance on his person would have picked that out in seconds.

But very much like Raila who says he bumped his head on a car door, former American President Ronald Reagan fell off his horse and suffered a brain clot to the brain.

He again benefited from America’s elaborate plan for its VIPs. The same happened for Bush Junior’s predecessor Bill Clinton when his heart problems forced urgent surgery and bypass. He had, as by law required, to sign away the nuclear secret codes in his possession until he came to.

Fall from horse

Reagan’s operation because of subdural haematoma in 1989 is very much like Raila’s. He had fallen from the horse two months earlier but the horror forming in his brain was detected later. It was without complications. High profile personalities around the world are usually accorded state of-the-art medical care whenever they fall ill.

The public always follows microscopically the health status of their top leaders — and in the West in particular, the media is briefed frequently. The Reagan assassination attempt of March 30, 1981, saw a flash-like evacuation procedure.

He had suffered a punctured lung when he was shot and wounded. According to Internet archives, the bullet hit a rib and travelled into his lung, which was bleeding profusely.

In the swift surgery that followed, doctors located the bullet, an inch from the President’s heart, and removed it. The President survived.

In keeping with this meticulous health watch procedures, so that the nation knows what it is dealing with, President Barack Obama underwent a comprehensive check-up before he was elected and also, this February.

On both occasions he was declared in excellent health and fit for office. Early this year, Bill Clinton underwent a procedure to improve blood flow to his heart after suffering chest pains.

Retired President Moi, who enjoyed robust health and kept a tight diary in office, always had consultant cardiologist Dr David Silverstein with him abroad and within call while in town. He was with him in Germany in 2006 when, four years into retirement, it became necessary to operate on him.

Dr Silverstein then explained it was to deal with "a 10-year-old bulge in his aorta, the main blood vessel out of the heart, occasioned the operation. The bulge kept growing and this year it got to a life-threatening phase."

As was the case with Kibaki and late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa, major ailments suffered by African leaders are usually treated in Europe, USA or Canada.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, early March this year was flown to a hospital in Germany for gall bladder surgery. In 2008 Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa suffered a stroke at an African Union summit in the Egypt, and in what could be African leaders’ vote of no confidence on the continent’s facilities, he was rushed to a local hospital then airlifted to Paris where he died.

But major hospitals in Kenya say they have what it takes to handle VIP emergency cases as well as the afflictions of the ordinary folk. Nairobi Hospital’s North Wing, where Raila is admitted, is an exclusive side with presidential suite settings.

Also referred to as the Presidential Wing, is a deluxe classified ward, set on two floors and takes care of surgery, medical and maternity cases in a mixed set of male, female and obstetric patients.

Best ward

According to the Nairobi Hospital Chief Executive Cleopa Mailu, the ward is the best in the region and is meant for VIPs. "It’s an exclusive executive wing and I do not think we have an equal regionally," he told The Standard. He refused to disclose charges.


Archbishop Michael Wachira of the Global Church (centre) led clerics to pray for Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s quick recovery at the Nairobi Hospital Thursday. Raila who suffered a throbbing headache was rushed to hospital and found to have a blood clot in the brain, and taken to theatre.

According to Mailu, the ward has a spacious room for bodyguards, visitors and a place where patients can jog or exercise.

There are six spacious self-contained rooms, with the ground floor rooms opening to a garden where patients can relax and exercise while the upstairs rooms open to the balcony.

Each room has a comfortable sitting area with a TV, telephone, wardrobe, writing desk and a couch.

Each patient is supplied with daily newspapers of their choice, a fruit basket, soft drinks of their choice and unless on diet, patients choose food from a menu.

Moi and Kibaki have been booked here.

Kenyatta National Hospital Chief Public Relations Officer Simon Ithai said the doctor-on-call has to first determine the condition of the VIP.

His only comfort for VIPs is that they would not be kept waiting like the rest in the crowded unit which is the lifeline for Nairobi’s urban middle class.

According to an official of Aga Khan Hospital, in most cases the arrival of a dignitary may either be on helicopter or ambulance.

The official said VIP patients first go to the Accident and Emergency Section to be examined before a specialist is brought in. Security details are not allowed into ICU, as this is not part of any hospital procedure. They will, however, be allowed to stay near where the operations are being conducted.

Additional reporting by James Ratemo, Beatrice Obwocha and Anderson Ojwang’.