A Nairobi court has ordered Nairobi Women’s Hospital to pay Sh5,131,000 in damages to teacher Newton Norbert Gogo after surgeons left a surgical instrument inside his abdomen during an operation in 2016.

Mr Gogo’s case was determined by Magistrate Ruguru Ngotho at the Milimani Commercial Magistrates Court, which found the hospital liable for professional negligence.

The incident occurred on 12 November 2016, when Mr Gogo, then a 20-year-old student at Alliance High School, was admitted to the hospital with an abdominal injury caused by a fall onto broken glass. 

He underwent emergency surgery and was discharged four days later. In the months that followed, Mr Gogo experienced persistent abdominal pain, which continued for several years despite numerous medical consultations .

“I only learnt that I had the object in my body last year after an X-ray done at Kisumu county hospital,” Gogo said. At the hospital’s request, Mr Gogo was later examined at Kenyatta National Hospital before undergoing corrective surgery at Kisumu County Hospital. The operation successfully removed the forceps but left a large midline scar. 

Gogo accused the facility of leaving artery forceps in his chest cavity during the surgery. The hospital, he claimed, failed to undertake the right procedures to ensure he was safe during the operation.

He further claimed the hospital failed to employ competent and qualified medical personnel and claims that he was subjected to unnecessary pain.

The prolonged pain and recovery disrupted his education, delayed his graduation, and affected his career. He sought compensation for medical costs as well as the emotional and professional impact of the hospital’s error.

The court awarded Sh4 million in general damages, Sh1 million in aggravated damages, and Sh131,000 in special damages, with interest accruing from October 2025 until payment is completed.