Kenyan hospitals turn into medical detention camps
HEALTH & SCIENCE
Mr James Obonyo who had been detained in a private hospital in Nakuru after he failed to offset a medical bill. January 19, 2019. [Caroline Chebet, Standard]
Private hospitals have often been turned into prisons for patients with pending medical bills. Most are detained in isolation rooms with 24 security surveillance. Most face hunger and other forms of mistreatment. Medical bills later escalate into millions of shillings over the time a patient is held in detention.
Take James Obonyo, 58. The father of five had medical arrears which saw him detained in a private hospital in Nakuru County where he was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for three days from April 12, last year. He was unable to raise the Sh492, 000 bill upon discharge on April 19.