In Nakuru County a 21-year old woman left her child in hospital and ran away after failing to pay a sh23, 000 bill.
The woman by the name Mary Wangui was admitted to the Nakuru referral and training hospital on March 11, where she was underwent surgery.
After the successful surgery, Mary was admitted to the ward for three weeks to recover. Despite the family enjoying his recovery, Mary saw as a burden after was given a bill of sh23, 000 which she seems to be unable to pay.
Her family tried to seek help from friends and relatives but they fail to raise the money to pay the mounting bill. It was that time when Mary made the decision to leave the hospital and left her nine-month-old baby in the hospital.
Mary escaped at seven o’clock when patients were visited by their relatives and helped by friends to reach home. Her husband, who had run out of money to pay the bills, was surprised to see her without the baby.
In an interview with one newspaper in the country Mary said her decision of escaping comes after her appeal to the social workers at the public hospital was rejected.
“I am hopeless because not only the hospital bills we can’t afford but also our rent, financial situation worsened and we failed to pay house rent that we owe four months in arrears, my husband income who sells banana has decreased I didn’t know what to do.
The child was taken to children home until the bill is settled while the family is devastated. The incident was reported at the sub-station of the Nakuru agricultural exhibition grounds.
Dr James Waweru, manager of Nakuru Training and Referral hospital, said the hospital has taken appropriate measures to protect the interests of the child and that the case is now in the hands of the children department.
