A family in Limuru constituency is contemplating whether to leave a body of their 70 years old mother at a hospital and forget about it over being unable to clear a huge hospital bill.
The family says that they have done all their best to clear over 400,000 hospital balance, to an extent of even failing to get fare to travel from Kwambira trading center to AIC Kijabe Hospital, to follow up on now the increasing mortuary bill.
Joseph Kimemia says his mother Sisilia Nongari Kariuki was admitted on June 17, with cancer complications, but succumbed on August 23, this year.
He says that, during that time, he was discharged with a bill of Sh 250,029 and readmitted again owing to her condition.
Kimemia says that another hospital bill accumulated of Sh 483,589, but revealed that The Social Health Authority was able to comfortably pay Sh 252,560.
“We feel we had a bill of about 700,000 and SHA was able to offset us with about Sh 250,000 and were left with the other amount which is about Sh 500,000” he says.
Kimemia says that his life less body of his mother who was a staunch member of St Charles Lwanga Catholic Church in Kamirithu, has been lying at the hospital’s mortuary.
He reveals that, the mortuary charges Sh 700 for body preservation for seven days but the bill rises after the eighth day to Sh 2,700 every day.
“The hospital bill now has risen owing to the fact that her body has been there for more than three weeks” he says.
Kimemia who is jobless, reveals that they have held two fundraisers, with the first one raising Sh 100,000 and the second one raising Sh 30,000, the money which could not clear the bill as the mortuary bill was rising every day.
Kimemia’s wife Teresia says that family friends, relatives and church members who used to come daily have reduced.
“When she passed away, so many people used to come to consul us and help us prepare for the funeral, but these days, very few people come. We feel that even if they do not hate is, but are tired” she says.
Teresia again reveals that, area chief John Ngugi had written a letter to the hospital requesting it help the family since they are jobless and do not have assets.
The family now appeals to the hospital administration to release their mothers body, as they had all the best they could.
“Our efforts to reach out to our leaders have failed. As of now, we cannot do much. People are not coming in large numbers as they used to come. We are at the bad end and we are confused” Kimemia reveals.
Area village elder John Njuguna has asked President William Ruto to assist the family get their mother body for burial as her children were casual laborers and lives in cheap rented houses.
“This is a poor family. The deceased’s children are casual laborers. As of now, they are not going to those jobs” Njuguna said.
“Even getting something to eat is a struggle. We appeal to the head of state or his deputy Kindiki Kithure to rescue them as we have been unable to reach out to our local leaders” he added.
Njuguna says that they have been visiting the family to check on them, but the number of attendance in the funeral committee has declined.
He reveals that, it’s only the area chief who has ever visited them, adding that this was the reason as to why they want to feel the highest office in the country acting since they had complied and were SHA compliant.
