Doctors at Devamatha Hospital in India, where former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga was rushed after suffering a cardiac arrest Wednesday morning, have spoken out about his final moments.

Cardiologist Dr. Sr. Alphons, who was among the team attending to him, said they made every effort to resuscitate him but were ultimately unsuccessful.

“In spite of our continued cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other measures, we could not make him survive,” she said in an interview.

“We are very sorry to inform you that he is no more with us and our very sincere condolences and prayers for his family and for the Kenyan people.” Alphons was speaking to ANI news, South Asia’s leading multimedia news agency.

Raila is said to have suffered a cardiac failure around 8am during his morning walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic eye hospital-cum-research centre in Koothattukulam, where he had been under treatment for the last five days.

He was pronounced dead at 9:52am.

CPR is an emergency life-saving procedure that combines chest compressions and rescue breaths to manually pump blood and oxygen to the brain and other organs when a person’s heart has stopped beating or they have stopped breathing.

It is a critical intervention that can double or triple the chance of survival for someone in cardiac arrest and should be performed immediately after calling for emergency help.

A 30-member delegation from Kenya led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi departed the country Wednesday for India.

Other members of the delegation are Mama Ida, Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Interior) and Hassan Joho (Mining), National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa, Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, and family members, Jaoko Oburu Odinga, Kevin Opiyo Oginga, and others.

The team is set to facilitate the repatriation process. The Indian government, President Ruto revealed, will facilitate the repatriation of the body.

“The government of India, at the request of the government of Kenya, has offered to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of our former prime minister,” Ruto announced.

In a detailed funeral programme seen by the Star, there are four sittings in the planning of Oding'a's burial: one at his Karen home,  Opoda home, Kisumu city and the Nairobi committee.

Flags across the country have been flying at half-mast since Wednesday, when news of Odinga’s passing was confirmed, while condolence books have been opened in government offices, embassies, and ODM party offices.

The body will arrive at the Lee Funeral Home on Thursday at 9.00 am from the airport and then head to Parliament Thursday 11 am.

A public prayer service will be held at the Nyayo Stadium on Friday, followed by a burial on Sunday.

Raila Odinga, 80, served as Kenya’s second Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013 under the Grand Coalition Government following the disputed 2007 presidential election. He was also a five-time presidential contender and the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

TheStarKenya