The family of a fallen music producer has been unable to bury him due to a large hospital bill accrued as the deceased was being treated for Coronavirus (Covid-19) before he succumbed.
Adams Mbugua Kimani, passed away on Saturday, June 27 while receiving treatment at Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi and the bill accumulated to Ksh 3.8 million which the family lamented was too high to be met. His body is being held at a Nairobi mortuary.
"We were directed to pay the bill, which we know we are obligated to. He had premonitions over his death as he asked me to take care of the children," a family member stated.
The artist was diagnosed with Covid-19 on Saturday, June 13 while undergoing treatment at Metropolitan Hospital in Buru Buru, Nairobi.
He was then referred to Kenyatta University Hospital and later, his family transferred him to Aga Khan University Hospital, a private facility.
A day after admission at the hospital, he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he was put on an Oxygen ventilator.
The family argued that all they can offer is their title deed as his savings were depleted. However, the title deed is under custody at another hospital in Nairobi after their special needs child was treated at the facility and the bill accumulated was beyond their financial capability.
Government regulations direct that a Covid-19 patient should be interred within 48 hours, yet Kimani's body has stayed a week-long at a Nairobi morgue.
Health CAS Rashid Aman also stated that the government was considering covering medical expenses for patients admitted at private hospitals.
"We are under very difficult times and they need to be considerate with people affected by Covid-19 and those who end up dying," Aman stated.
As per directives by the government, treatment for asymptomatic patients costs Ksh 21,000 per day, mild Covid-19 patients costs Ksh 21,400 per day, in ICU but on supplementary Oxygen is Ksh 51,000 per day and those in ICU placed on a ventilator is Ksh 71,000 per day.
As of Friday, July 3, Kenya had recorded 7,188 cases of Covid-19 with 154 fatalities and 2,148 recoveries.
