COVID-19 patients at Kenyatta University hospital decry huge bills

COVID-19 patients who have recovered and who have been isolated at some government hospitals are up in arms over huge bills that they have been directed to settle before leaving the facilities.

This is despite a government assurance that anyone brought to a state facility for COVID-19 treatment will not pay.

When Jane, not her real name, came back to the country from abroad in June this year, a quarantine facility was the last thing on her mind.

She had tested positive for coronavirus. But after treatment at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, she finally recovered and tested negative and was due for release on July 24.

To finalise her discharge however, she was to pay a hefty bill of over Ksh.70,000.

“Nimetest negative lakini nimenyimwa kutoka sababu sijalipa bill, sasa si nitaambukizwa tena nikikaa hapa?” She says.

She and a handful of others claim they are stuck at the facility and do not understand why they are being charged for quarantine at a public facility.

According to documents seen by Citizen Digital, the hospital is charging a minimum of Ksh.3,135 daily per person for bed.

Besides the accommodation, other charges emanate from pharmacy and laboratory testing. The stunned patients have to use a paybill number to settle their dues.

The patients are now wondering why they are being detained despite government assurances that patients should not foot such bills unless stated otherwise.

Calls to the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer John Wekesa went unanswered.