KNH releases 300 patients detained over unpaid bills

Kenyatta National Hospital has released 300 patients from the hospital wards after an uproar last week.

The ministry of health ordered the patients discharged on Monday. 

Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache on Tuesday said the hospital was ordered to make credit arrangements with the patients.

"Some patients were deemed to be abandoned with no one to pay their bills, so they also had to be released," Mochache told National Assembly Health committee. However, in a separate statement to newsrooms, KNH said those released today are 250.

Mochache said going forward, the hospital would not be allowed to detain patients over treatment bills.

"We are carrying out reforms on National Hospital Insurance Fund which should take care of these bills," she said.

Last Thursday, the PS told MPs 387 bodies were also detained at the KNH's mortuary for non-payment of bills.

Mochache said the relatives of the dead patients owed KNH a total of Sh5.9 million incurred during treatment and preservation of bodies.

The PS, said a few other public and private hospitals were also holding bodies over bills.

Pandya Hospital, a private hospital in Mombasa, is detaining three bodies for non-payment of Sh2.5 million, while Tabaka Mission Hospital has one body over a Sh68,850 debt.

Mochache said more patients are being detained in various other hospitals for non-payment of medical bills. 

Tabaka is holding 16 patients, Nakuru County Referral Hospital 15, Thika Level 5 Hospital eight and King David Hospital seven.

New Kimilili Medical Clinic and Crystal Cottage Hospital and Medical clinic have five patients each while North Kinangop Catholic Hospital has three and Kagio Nursing Home one.