• Sonko orders release to mark Good Deeds Day yesterday at City Hall
• At least 50 released from Mama Lucy and Mbagathi hospitals, more to be released to be with families
Image: COURTESY
At least 50 patients were released yesterday from two health facilities following Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's order to release all patients detained over unpaid medical bills.
Sonko said the unconditional release from Mama Lucy and Mbagathi hospitals marked Good Deeds Day celebrated at City Hall.
Sonko said the bills amounting to about Sh1 million would be settled by his administration.
He directed the Health executive Mohammed Dagane to ensure all the patients who are unable to settle their medical bills are released unconditionally.
“As a good gesture, I am directing my CECs of Health and Finance to cover the costs of patients held at medical facilities due to lack of fees. I am ordering the immediate and unconditional discharge of patients at Mbagathi and at Mama Lucy Hospitals," Sonko said.
“We will fully implement the directive by the Governor and so far we have released about 50 patients from Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals unconditionally. They have joined their families and the process is still ongoing,” Dagane said.
In addition, Sonko further directed Dagane and His CeC for Finance Winfred Kathangu to devise ways of covering the costs of patients who will be released due to lack of fees.
The Communications director at the office of the Governor, Elkana Jacob told the Star yesterday that he had the list of all the detained patients in the top county facilities and will ensure that they will be released.
"It's not a one day process but following the Governor's order, all detained patients in the city health facilities will be released," Elkana said.
Michael Kausi, a detained patient at Mbagathi Hospital was released after being detained for medical bill amounting to Sh 32,160.
“I was only praying to God and miracle has happened,I was wondering where I would get Sh32, 160. I thank Governor Sonko for his generosity ”he said.
Last week Kenyatta National Referral Hospital (KNH) released 250 patients it had detained at the facility over unpaid hospital bills following a public outcry.
The release of the patients came after an expose by Citizen TV revealing a frustrating situation of patients who had been treated but remained prisoners in the facility for lack of funds to settle their bills.
In a report issued out by the Ministry of Health noted that the detained patients and bodies at the facility had accumulated a debt of Sh 5.7 million.
It was also revealed that KNH had been detaining 184 patients and 387 bodies for non-payment of almost Sh 6 billion shillings,