KNH to discharge 250 patients detained over unpaid bills after outcry

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) on Tuesday announced that it will discharge 250 patients detained over unpaid bills.

In a statement to newsrooms, the national referral hospital said the decision by the KNH board was reached following public outcry.

This follows an expose aired by Citizen TV on Monday, March 25, 2019 that revealed over 20 women sleeping on the floor after being detained at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

In response, the Ministry of health released a report that put the number of patients detained at 184 and 387 dead bodies for non-payment of almost Ksh.6 billion.

The Ministry has has since formed a special team to probe cases of patients detained in various hospitals countrywide for failing to pay hospital bills.

In a circular seen by Citizen TV, Principal Secretary Susan Mochache tasked the team to probe nine private and public hospitals.

They include; Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, the Nairobi Hospital, the Aga Khan University Hospital and Mater Hospital among others.

The Health Ministry’s special team will also be required to determine the number of bodies in mortuaries being detained over unpaid bills as well as the conditions under which the patients are being held at the hospitals.