Govt Takes Action After Death Of Lucy Wambui Following Botched Cosmetic Surgery

The council’s objective is to determine if the necessary professional standards were upheld in Wambui’s care. "A team has been dispatched to the facility to conduct a fact-finding mission aimed at assessing whether the necessary professional standards were met in Lucy's care," she announced.

Adding "Any evidence of malpractice or deviation from established norms will be addressed with appropriate action, in line with applicable laws."

According to the Ministry, this service is part of a broader strategy to enhance public trust and ensure that healthcare services across the country adhere to high standards of professionalism and ethics.

Wambui, before her death, was the wife of businessman Francis Ng'ang'a. She was reported to have undergone surgery at the cosmetic clinic Omnicare, also known as Body by Design, which her family and friends blamed for her death.

In a statement on Instagram, influencer Amira alleged that Lucy had cosmetic surgery and developed complications afterwards. YouTuber Murugi Munyi also opened up about working with Body By Design, narrating her experience getting her liposuction with them. 

"I have decided to come and give my view on what's going on. I have been affiliated with Body By Design since I did my liposuction there two years ago, in 2022. At the time I was not working or affiliated with them. I posted and said this is where I am doing my lipo. I paid full price for my lipo, but since then, I have done some work with them, mostly recently, I have been getting my semaglutide weight loss injections from them. I have worked with them for a long time. This situation is extended sad. My heart goes out to her husband and her entire family. Nobody deserves to die in pain," she stated in part.

Murugi was responding to comments about her and what was going on that gained national attention. "I am not a medical professional, neither do I work at Body By Design, and I'm not an expert on cosmetic surgery. I only share what I have experienced and the fact that I have been going there since I got my lipo, and you know, after lipo, you get these massages and whatnot. I know they are cooperating with authority to do a proper investigation, and my hope and prayer is that justice will be served if indeed there was negligence or any kind of issue and that investigation truly uncovers what happened," she further said. 

On Thursday, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, accompanied by outraged residents, protested outside the offices of Body by Design Kenya in Nairobi, demanding answers following allegations of botched cosmetic surgeries. Sonko appealed to KMPDB to conduct an investigation. He stated that his office had received numerous appeals from grieving mothers who alleged that cosmetic surgeries performed by the clinic had resulted in deaths.

Closure notice issued to Body By Design on October 31, 2024. /CAPE MEDIA

Body By Design Speaks

Body By Design on its part launched its internal investigations. It however filed a court application challenging a closure notice issued by KMPDC for its Lavington facility. While distancing itself from the allegations, the clinic argued that it is fully registered and in compliance with regulatory requirements as well as well-equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and qualified surgeons.

Through Danstan Omari, the clinic narrated that Wambui underwent a successful procedure and was due to be discharged on October 17. However, she requested a voluntary extension of her stay, which was granted by the facility. The deceased later complained of chest pains and was attended to by doctors and nurses at Omnicare and later discharged.

She left the facility on October 22, 2024, after confirming that she was ready to be discharged on the recommendation of the facility’s doctor. The management further stated that Wambui returned to the facility at 6 pm but the clinic was already closed for the day, but assigned a doctor who followed her to Nairobi Hospital where she died while undergoing a second procedure on October 26, 2024.

Autopsy

The post-mortem results of Wambui showed that Wambui developed chest pains and difficulty breathing on the second day after the abdominal fat liposuction procedure. The autopsy ascertained there were signs of liposuction, and the cause of death was determined to be cardiorespiratory failure.