Ministry of health through principle secretary has revealed that a total of 300 patients and 391 bodies are detained in 11 hospitals across the Country due to unpaid bills.
Principle secretary Mochache said before parliamentary health committee led by Murang’a women rep Sabina Chege.
The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) tops the list with 387 uncollected bodies.
She told the committee that the families are expected to pay bills amounting to Sh6.7 billion for both patients and deceased bodies.
The report tabled in parliament also revealed that 56 patients are being held at Kakamega County Referral Hospital over Sh3.3 million, Nakuru County Referral Hospital has 15 with an unpaid bill of Sh850,780 , Kimilili medical clinic is yet to receive Sh108,780 from five patients, Thika Level 5 hospital is holding 8 patients over Sh308,922 while Tabaka Mission hospital is detaining 16 over Sh590,764.
The other hospitals on spot are Moi Teaching and Referral which is demanding Sh1 billion from an undisclosed number of patients, North Kinangop Catholic hospital that has detained three patients over Sh66,651 bills and Kagio Nursing Home which is demanding Sh90,000 from a single patient.
She said that the government is considering wavering the bills. “To address the accumulation of patient bills in hospitals, the ministry communicates to relevant hospitals to waive the bills,” Mochache said.
The revelation comes as Nyando MP Jared Okelo has moved a raft of amendments to outlaw detention of bodies by hospital management, a very common act among health facilities in the country.
The proposed amendments apply to both public and private hospitals.
In a letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly seeking to introduce further amendments to the Bill, which is in second reading stage, the first time lawmaker wants a re-look for the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act 253 to compel any health personnel or facility pay up to Sh 5 million fine or serve a jail term of up to five years for detaining bodies or patients.
The proposed amendments, however, root for a mutually agreed arrangement of clearing any pending fee without resorting to detention of either the patient or the body by the hospital.
“No health institution in the country shall detain or otherwise cause, directly or indirectly, the detention of the body of a patient who died after or during treatment for reasons of nonpayment, in part or in full, of hospital bills or any other medical expenses,” reads part of the proposed amendments.
“Patients who have fully or partially recovered, and who are discharged or wish to leave health institutions but are financially incapable to settle their hospital bills or other medical bills shall be allowed to leave the health institution.”
If the motion will pass in the parliament those with huge bills and those detained will be relieved.