At least 37 patients who had been detained at Mbagathi Hospital and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital over non-payment of bills were Tuesday released following a directive by Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Officials said the patients had accrued a cumulative bill of Sh900,000 which will now be settled by the county.
Mbagathi hospital had 18 detained patients while Mama Lucy had 19 patients who have since rejoined their families for the Christmas celebrations.
The social works departments in both hospitals were vetting other patients who will also benefit from the governor’s directive that was made on Sunday, December 18, 2022.
Sakaja ordered that all patients held in county hospitals due to unpaid bills be released during the festive season, further promising to cater for their hospital balances.
He argued it was even more expensive for most hospitals to cater to patients’ needs and expenses while they were in the hospital, and thus there was no need for them to remain confined.
“I’ve directed that all persons detained at our county hospitals because of non-payment be released to go home to be with their families this Christmas,” Sakaja said on Twitter.
“We will pay. In many cases, it is even more expensive to cater for them in terms of food etc and patients who need space miss it.”
