Karen Hospital seeks court orders to discharge patient stuck with a Ksh.23M bill

The Karen Hospital has moved to court, seeking orders to discharge a patient who is stuck at its facility, unable to settle a bill totaling to more than Ksh.23 million.

According to court papers seen by Citizen Digital, the patient Jackline Nelima Mutaki has been at the facility since February 16, 2019.

She had been booked for an elective cesarean section after undergoing an obstetric ultra-sound.

The Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Betty Gikonyo said that after the routine preparation for the Cesarean Section, spinal anesthesia was administered but the patient developed complications.

“That the procedure was delayed for some minutes to enable the patient be resuscitated and after the operation, the respondent was taken to the High Dependency Unit for post-operative management,” the court papers say.

The Hospital further said the patient has been undergoing airway maintenance and physiotherapy as she continues to get treated for recurrent chest infections.

According to the hospital, efforts to reach her family have been futile as they appear to have vanished.

The facility now wants the court to allow them discharge the patient for home-based care or alternatively, grant consent for her refferal  to the Kenyatta Nation KNH.

However the court said that it will only hear the case if the hospital amends the application or sues the state instead.

The case wil be mentioned on September 23.