NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 15 — Doctors at Devamatha Hospital in Kerala made frantic, last-ditch efforts to save former Prime Minister Raila Odinga after he collapsed during his morning walk at an Ayurvedic clinic on Wednesday morning.
According to a detailed medical account from Dr. Sista Fons, a cardiologist at the hospital, Odinga was rushed to the hospital’s emergency wing at 8.20 am Indian time after collapsing at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre, located nearby, where he had been receiving wellness treatment.
“Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga was brought to our casualty emergency wing with a history of sudden collapse during his morning walk,” said Dr. Fons.
“They had already started CPR. His doctor and security personnel were with him.”
Dr. Fons said the hospital’s medical team immediately took over the resuscitation efforts.
“We continued CPR and performed emergency intubation — inserting a tube into the respiratory system — and continued CPR along with other resuscitative measures,” she said.
Despite the team’s intensive efforts, Odinga had no pulse or measurable blood pressure upon arrival.
He was moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where doctors briefly detected a heart rhythm.
“After stabilizing him with IV fluids, we administered an injection to dissolve any possible clot in the coronary arteries,” Dr. Fons explained.
Diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease
She added that the team observed significant swelling in Odinga’s lower right leg and learned from his personal physician that he had a history of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.
Odinga had previously been treated for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the same leg and had an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter inserted.
Just days earlier, doctors had identified a small subdural hematoma — bleeding beneath the skull.
“Recently, he had a thin subdural hematoma, which was detected last Saturday,” the cardiologist said.
“After consulting with a neurosurgeon in the ICU, we proceeded with a thrombolytic injection and continued CPR from 8:00 a.m. at the other hospital until 9:52 a.m. in our ICU, but unfortunately, we could not revive him.”
“We are very sorry to inform that he is no more. Our very sincere condolences and prayers go out to his family and to the people of Kenya,” Dr. Fons added.
Indian police confirmed to AFP that Odinga was walking with his sister, daughter, and personal doctor at the Ayurvedic clinic when he suddenly collapsed.
The body of the 80-year-old statesman is set to be transported to Mumbai, where a Kenyan delegation led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi — currently en route to India — will accompany him back home ahead of his burial on Sunday at his Bondo home in Siaya County.
