Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has dismissed a viral TikTok video and claims alleging that new mothers were detained at the Riley Mothers and Baby Hospital Wing over unpaid Social Health Authority (SHA) fees.
The allegations began when Daily Nation did an exposé on September 18, that the hospital was overcrowded, patients were sharing beds and were being served poor meals and that new mothers were unable to leave the hospitals due to pending SHA registration or unpaid premiums.
“The videos circulating on TikTok offer a glimpse into a world most never see: the maternity wards of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, where mothers and their newborns remain trapped not by medical necessity, but by unpaid bills,” part of the article by Daily Nation read.
In a statement issued on Friday, MTRH clarified that all mothers at the facilities were receiving care and none had been unlawfully detained.
MTRH Chief Executive Officer, Philip Kirwa, explained that any delays in discharge were linked to challenges in SHA registration, such as missing identification cards, incomplete birth certificates, or unpaid annual premiums.
Kirwa urged all patients to ensure timely SHA registration to avoid disruptions.
Leftover Foods
He dismissed claims that patients were served leftovers stating that all meals, supplies and services meet the required quality standards.
It further clarified that teenage mothers without IDs are issued temporary identification documents to help them register for SHA and avoid unnecessary discharge delays.
“Congestion may occur when patients have not completed SHA enrolment, but we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health to ease the process,” he added.
The hospital, on most occasions, receives patients who could otherwise be treated at lower-level facilities. This, the hospital explained, sometimes creates pressure on space and resources.
The Daily Nation investigation quoted several mothers who claimed they were forced to share beds, sleep in shifts, and buy basic necessities like diapers and soap due to shortages.
“We sleep in shifts. Sometimes three people share one bed, while others sleep on the floor. We have no diapers, no soap, no basic necessities. We have no money here to buy those items,” said Melvin Nyagoha, a 22-year-old mother interviewed in the report.
