Grieving family in agony as mother's body detained over unsettled Ksh.77K hospital bill

A family in Githunguri, Kiambu County, has been subjected to endless agony following the detention of the body of their mother for failing to settle a Ksh.77,000 hospital bill.

40-year-old Florence Wanjiku passed away on Tuesday at the Kiambu Level V Hospital after spending close to three months at the facility.

Diagnosed with meningitis in November last year, Wanjiku gradually recovered and was due for discharge early January this year.

However, the family could not settle the accrued medical bill of Ksh.77,000 leading to her detention until her demise this week.

By then the bill had accumulated to almost ksh.90,000 with Wanjiku's family only managing to raise  Ksh.40,000 through WhatsApp groups and harambees.

"Alipewa ruhusa na wiki ya kwanza ya January lakini hatukuweza kuchanga pesa yote na mimi ndiye mtoto wa kwanza lazima nishugulikie hawa wenzangu," Andrew Wanjiru, the deceased's son, said.

"Sasa tunaskia tena alikufa kupelekwa mortuary ya Kiambu wanasema hawatoi bila pesa,"  Teressia Wanja, another family member, said.

The family is now appealing for the release of the body urgently hoping to prevent further accumulation of the mounting medical bill.

The County Government of Kiambu, after Citizen TV's efforts to get a comment, promised to fast track the release of the body to the family and waive Wanjiku's medical bill.