Family holds sons burial without body over Ksh.17M hospital bill

A family in Gatuikira, Kiambu County was on Thursday forced to hold a burial for their son without his body.

The body of 13-year-old Brian Kimani, who passed away in February this year, is withheld at the Gertrudes’ Children Hospital over a bill amounting to Ksh.17.8 million.

The boy was undergoing treatment for Leukaemia after a relapse, at the Gertrudes’ Children Hospital for five and a half months, before he passed on.

Family and friends of Brian Kimani gathered at the ACK St. Stephens Church in Gatuikira, Kiambu County, where the boys image, a canvas of faded dreams, silently graced the altar.

The memorial service saw many narrate of a boy who loved music and adventures.

In its defense the hospital through Head of Clinical Services Dr. Thomas Ngwiri insisted it is not their policy to detain the body of a deceased patient in lieu of payment.

“In line with professional practice and the recent court ruling on this matter, the hospital enters into agreement with the affected parents to secure the debt and allows the family to take the body for interment,” says Dr. Ngwiri in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The hospital says the family of Brian Kimani had informed them that the burial was scheduled for Friday, March 13 and that they would be in touch on Thursday, March 12 with a payment plan and to collect the body for burial.

“It is therefore, surprising that anybody would claim that the hospital has refused to release the body for a funeral service  or burial. The hospital awaits the family for the meeting planned for Thursday, March 12,” adds the statement.

Since April 2018, the family has known no peace, they have spent almost Ksh.30 million from the treatment they accorded their son in India and Kenya.

Back home, photos of Brian Kimani, who would have joined Form One this year, have remained as conduits of the memories shared.