Ministry of Health has revealed that Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has been detaining patients and bodies over an accumulated debt of almost Ksh6 billion.
In a report released on Thursday, the Ministry noted that 184 patients and 387 bodies have been detained by the facility due to the debt.
The report put the exact non-payment at Ksh 5, 692,834,284.
The ministry released the details following an expose done by Citizen TV that revealed how women are being detained at the facility over non-payment.
In response to the detention, the ministry noted: “To address the accumulation of patient bills in hospitals, the Ministry communicates to relevant hospitals to waive the bills or enter into a credit facility or cases that are brought to our attention.”
Read: Cancer Patient Denied Healthcare Services At Kenyatta Hospital For Failing To Pay Ksh1,950
Other hospital facilities said to be detaining patients included Kakamega Referral Hospital which has a total of 56 patients with an outstanding debt of Ksh3,336,806.
Nakuru County Referral Hospital has been reported to have 15 patients who owe the facility a total of Ksh850,780.
Eldoret’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital has no detained patient,however, a debt of Ksh1billion as recorded.
The ministry presented the data from 216 health facilities out of the existing 3,511 public and private facilities categories as level 3 up to level 6.
This report comes after MPs asked the ministry to table the number of patients detained countrywide following the expose.
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