Kibera family in agony after kin’s body detained at KNH

A family in Kisumu Ndogo, Kibera slum, is in deep agony, and is appealing for help after their kin’s body was detained at the Kenyatta National Hospital over a Sh760,000 unpaid medical bill.

Everlyne Achieng’ died at the referral facility on November 26, and the management has declined to release the body over the huge medical bill.

The 16-year-old girl was admitted to the facility on July 22 after she was diagnosed with what doctors termed as acute kidney failure.

Achieng’ was a student at Raila Education Centre and wrote her KCPE exam from her hospital bed. She was an orphan and had been raised by her uncle, Thomas Owino. She was among the patients Education CS Amina Mohamed visited at the facility during the national exams.

Yesterday, when the Star visited their home, her brother, Bonface Juma, and three cousins James Okoth, Albert Owino and Abraham Ochieng were lost in deep thoughts. Juma was too distraught to speak.

“It is not our wish not to clear the medical bill of our sister. We would have really wished to pay, but we are unable. We only depend on casual jobs that come our way for a living,” Okoth said.

KNH’s director of clinical services Peter Masinde said the hospital does not detain bodies of those from poor families.

“These is a procedure that they need to follow. They should see the medical social worker in charge of the ward where the patient was admitted. Their situation (financial) will be assessed and if it is found that they are unable to pay, then the report will be brought to us for approval. It is that simple,” he said on the phone yesterday.

Okoth said they have tried to reach out to politicians, including Governor Mike Sonko, Senator Johnson Sakaja and ODM leader Raila Odinga to no avail.