Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has addressed claims that mothers are being detained at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital over unpaid maternity bills.
Speaking before the Senate Health Committee on Thursday, November 6, Sakaja dismissed allegations that the county administration was detaining mothers, saying the delay in releasing patients often results from ongoing financial waiver procedures.
“We don’t detain women in facilities. It is the waiver period and process that takes time. And that is what we have been trying to refine. Facilities cannot run if payments are not made,” Sakaja explained.
The governor noted that the county encourages residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to ensure they can access healthcare without financial strain. However, he acknowledged that hospitals also face the challenge of balancing compassion with sustainability.
“That is why we tell people to register with SHA so they can be covered. However, keeping them for long is also a cost. They are taking space others could be taking, you have to feed them,” he said.
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Sakaja further highlighted the importance of financial responsibility, emphasizing that hospitals could collapse if every patient were released without settling their bills.
“If everybody who says they are not able to pay are released, facilities will collapse because even those able to pay will refuse to pay,” he added.
The governor said the county has clear guidelines for issuing partial or full waivers to those unable to pay. He also shared that he personally assists some mothers when he visits health facilities, though he chooses not to publicize those gestures.
“We have a waiver guideline and process, both partial and full waivers. Sometimes when I visit those hospitals, women will see me and run to me asking for help and I pay for their bills, it’s just that I don’t put it on media,” Sakaja said.
This comes a few days after former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko came to the aid of 110 mothers who had been held at Mama Lucy Hospital over unpaid medical bills.
In a statement on Tuesday, November 4, Sonko announced that he had cleared the bills for the mothers, whose total charges amounted to Ksh2 million.
The former governor said he intervened after being requested to assist, ultimately negotiating the amount down to Ksh1.6 million to secure their release.
"Today marked a very significant day for me and 110 mothers who were released from Mama Lucy Hospital after I settled their bills. This initiative was in response to a request for assistance in covering their medical expenses,” Sonko stated.
He added that, in addition to clearing the bills, he offered the mothers some financial support as they left the facility and pledged to cover their registration costs with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to ensure continued access to free medical services.
Sonko also expressed his condolences to four mothers who lost their babies at the facility.
“However, on a somber note, four mothers sadly lost their babies, and I extend my heartfelt condolences,” he said.
