•Wangari was ejected by two airlines because she was unfit to fly
•She needs stretcher that will take space of six seats on a plane.
Image: VICTOR IMBOTO
A sick woman ejected from an Etihad Airlines plane just before takeoff is now appealing to well wishers to help her raise Sh1.2 million for airfare to India.
Epharus Wangari was ejected from the plane after the airline deemed her unfit to fly on Sunday.
Wangari was involved in a drunk driving accident on November 2, 2017.
She was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital for eight months due to a bone marrow infection before being referred to India for further treatment.
Wangari said the airline said she needs a stretcher seat on the plane.
The stretcher will occupy the space of six seats and will be installed in Abu Dhabi.
“They told me that I would have to pay double for each seat because the seat can only be installed in Abu Dhabi before landing in Kenya,” she told the Star yesterday at her Gachie home.
"My family and I had decided to go for the stretcher seat option because we were afraid of booking another airline and being rejected."
Last Tuesday, Wangari was denied access to an Air Arabia plane after they claimed the plane did not have enough leg room to cater for her condition.
"They told us their plane looked like a bus and did not have enough leg room to accommodate her," her sister Anne Ndumia said.
In a report seen by the Star, the airline placed blame on Prudential Travels, the agent who booked the flight for the sisters.
It addressed the agent stating: “For all medical reasons travel you ought not to issue tickets before medical clearance with a fit to fly remark.”
"They (Air Arabia) then advised me to book another flight and we booked Etihad which we were advised would offer more leg room."
Wangari’s sister said trouble began after she requested for more leg room for Wangari.
She has been confined to bed for the better part of two years as doctors had to remove infected bones from her leg.
According to her family, the treatment in India would see her regain her ability to walk.
"They told us we were delaying the plane after stating that a doctor from Singapore had deemed me unfit to fly. They asked us to leave the plane," Wangari recalled.
"Initially, they were supposed to transfer me to a seat with more leg room."
The two sisters, according to documents seen by the Star, had been cleared by Dr Diane Mclvor of Etihad Airlines to fly.
They were headed to India's BLK Hospital, where Wangari was scheduled to begin treatment on Monday.
"The doctors here (Kenya) told us that they did jot have the capacity to perform my sister's bone grafting because the infected area is too big," Anne said.
The cost of treatment in India is Sh1.5 million. She also has an outstanding balance of Sh9.6 million at the Aga Khan Hospital.
In a letter signed by Samson Kuhora, the National Health Insurance Fund offered to pay a part of the treatment fee.
"NHIF has reviewed this case and is undertaking to pay up to Ksh500,000 which is equivalent of USD 4,921 for the procedure including investigations related to the primary reason for travel," the letter reads.
Wangari, who was a third year Procurement and Contract Management student at JKUAT- Mombasa campus, says that she is not seeking to pursue legal action against the airlines.
"I simply want to be treated so that I can continue with my life," she said.
Edited by Rosemary Wangui