Medical Malpractice & Your LegalObligations - A Practical Guide for OBGYNs DR ELIZABETH GITAU-MAINA

Dr Elizabeth Gitau-Maina is a medical doctor and a Health Systems expert. She has previously served at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) as the representative of KMA. She has a lot of experience hearing the cases brought before the council and has interest in helping doctors navigate medico-legal issues that they will face. At the 2026 Kenya Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society (KOGS) Central Branch Symposium, Dr. Elizabeth Gitau delivered a sobering and highly practical guest address addressing the rising tide of medical malpractice litigation within the obstetrics and gynaecology discipline in Kenya. Highlighting data from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) Disciplinary & Ethics Committee (2019–2025), Dr. Gitau revealed that OB-GYN remains the most highly sued medical discipline, accounting for a staggering 26% of all cases lodged. This high exposure stems from split-second emergency decisions, high-stakes clinical outcomes (such as maternal mortality and birth injuries), and poor documentation practices.