Several mothers, some detained at the facility since August last year, expressed immense relief upon their release, as they could finally reunite with their families after months of separation.
The women revealed that the economic hardships, coupled with inefficiencies in the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), had rendered them unable to settle their medical bills. Many of them lacked health insurance, relying instead on the now-defunct Linda Mama programme, which had previously covered maternity costs.
Their plight attracted monetary support from Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who provided each mother with Ksh 10,000 to help sustain their livelihoods.
Speaking to journalists, one of the mothers, Rachel Mbogo, recounted her ordeal. Her child’s medical bill had accumulated to Ksh 196,000, and she feared she could have remained at the facility indefinitely if not for the county government’s decision to waive the debt.
“This waiver has given me a second chance. Where would I have gotten Ksh 196,000 at once? While I feel it was unfair for the hospital to hold us for so long, I’m grateful that I can now return to my family,” Mbogo said.
Another mother, Mary Munge, who had also been detained at the facility for months, highlighted the lack of awareness about healthcare schemes. She vowed to enroll in one, acknowledging that having an insurance cover would have significantly eased her financial burden.
“Many of us mothers lack insurance, and with the country facing severe financial challenges, we struggle to pay maternity bills. This situation is a wake-up call for us to join these schemes,” Munge remarked.
Dr. Elias Maina, the County Executive Committee member for Health, noted that the county government has issued waivers amounting to millions over the past year to assist mothers in similar situations. He cited Ksh 3 million waived in August 2024 and Ksh 4.1 million in September 2023.
MP Gakuya urged the government to fully implement the new healthcare systems to alleviate the suffering of Kenyans, many of whom are yet to benefit from the Social Health Authority (SHA). He also called on the Health Ministry to conduct regular hospital visits to monitor and address inefficiencies within the SHA system.
