A 26-year-old woman and her newborn quadruplets have been detained at a Nairobi hospital over a Sh2.8 million bill.
Virgina Adhiambo is currently stranded at the Nairobi South Hospital after she gave birth, on February 1, by C-section.
All four – two boys and two girls – initially were in incubators. Now two are in incubators. The mother and two babies can go home when the bill is cleared.
The woman’s husband, Charles Ndonye, said they were unable as a family to raise the money after his business was hit by Covid-19 last year.
Ndonye, 38, who sells baking machines along Mombasa Road at Plaza 2000, said they had managed to raise only Sh500,000. It came from relatives, friends, church members, a pastor and family savings.
“My wife gave birth to four babies at The Nairobi South Hospital on February 1. She is detained together with the babies over an accrued Sh2.8 million bill. We only have Sh500,000,” Ndonye told the Star on Wednesday.
Ndonye said his insurance cover has a Sh200,000 limit and does not cover maternity costs.
“This is their 17th day at the hospital and I worry as the bill keeps accruing. I wish they could be discharged so we settle the bill while they are all out of the hospital and no more accrues,” he said.
Hospital CEO Mohamed Amin confirmed the case but declined to comment.
“Kindly talk to HR or the nurse in charge. I am out of office and at Kenyatta,” Amin told the Star by phone
Medical documents seen by the Star showed the family had paid Sh522,311.17
HR manager Stephen Mutavi said the couple had challenges in settling the bill.
“We had a discussion with the family and they are looking for money. The accrued amount was Sh2.8 million on Monday when we met.
“Two of the babies are still undergoing treatment and therefore the bill is still accumulating,” Mutavi told the Star by phone.
He said the insurer, AAR, only covered Sh200,000 for the mother.
“For the babies, they have failed to cater for their medical bills. The mother had complications and was taken to ICU where she has been undergoing treatment. The children are still in incubation,” Mutavi said.
He said the babies’ bills were pushing up the cost.
The family is urging members of the public to help them settle the bill.
“We are appealing for financial assistance from anywhere, the bill has overwhelmed me,” Ndonye said
“Business was hit by Covid-19. The hospital insists we clear the bill or we clear my wife’s accrued bill, which is almost Sh1 million, then she can be discharged with two babies while the other two are detained until the entire bill is cleared.”