A father offered Kenyatta National Hospital Ksh8,000 only while pleading with the facility to release his son detained over a Ksh387,000 bill.
The 24-year-old was detained at Kenyatta National Hospital because of unpaid medical bills after being treated for a disfiguring tumour.
After being diagnosed with a dental tumour known as Keratocyst Odontogenic Tumour in 2013, the patient underwent surgery on Thursday, December 8, 2022, to remove the tumour.
However, he developed complications during the surgery and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Bosire Wairimu, the Founding Executive Director of the African Center For Health Systems and Gender (ACHG), raised the issue on her Twitter on Friday, January 6, indicating that the complications were a result of the tumour growth over a long period of time.
Bosire explained that the surgery was delayed for ten years due to a shortage of plates required for the surgery.
According to the ACHG founder, the delay was unjust because the patient was registered with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which was required to provide comprehensive health coverage.
“NHIF rejected the ICU total bill claiming that it would only pay for the bed charges and not the rest of the medical care.”
“It is a shame to have patients with disfiguring tumours not being able to be supported with plates provision hence delayed access to care, despite the patient having the NHIF card,” Bosire alleged.
The patient was detained at the hospital because the parents could not clear the accumulated hospital bill.
A total of Ksh8,000 was paid to clear part of the bill by the patient’s father, as the family grappled with raising more funds.
“He is detained despite social worker analysis and recommendation for waiver of this patient. Every day the bill increases,’ Bosire stated.
She appealed to the Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja and the health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, to aid the patient.
Sakaja, on Thursday, January 5, was asked to improve the delivery of health services by optimising the supply of Health products and technologies to fast-tracking the supply of medical products and technologies in health facilities.
He was also advised to structure a cordial working relationship with the government's supplier agency, the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA), and other suppliers.
