Happy New year Wazuans...Anybody there who can assist,I have a friend whose sister was referred to KNH ICU from Gatundu Hospital due to bleeding after she lost her child.The Bill at KNH ICU shot to 850,000 unfortunately she also passed on.

Now KNH have detained the Body and want the family to pay the Bill...The Family is extremely poor and cannot afford to pay the Bill.Anybody in the wazua family who can assist with advise on how to go about this case...

Pole sana to the family.

Let them give what they can then write to the hospital requesting for waiver of the balance.If the hosptal is adamant do as Tycho has advised.

They have a system for waivers. Get advice from the ward in charge about the requisites and the process.

Best advice. The ward in charge will refer them to social worker.

On the contrary @Kamundu. The hypocrisy of this situation is what I see no reason to spare. For example, what rationality is being employed by a national hospital to it's 'poorest'?

If the hospital administration are as rational and humane as you wish to show, why is it that the story has to be brought to Wazua for the family to be referred to the social worker? Doesn't it sound odd that this grieving family has no clue that such services exist?

Even the person who wrote the bill should have referred them to the family. But he was indifferent.

Or is it that the social worker is testing the family's limits?

Then, why are you not suggesting that we contribute to the family? Why didn't @Pastor M?

Why didn't I? Because I have no money to give? You can simply have no money to give, because if you give one you must give all. Otherwise you must discriminate against some humans.

And clearly this very poor family is being discriminated against. And I can understand how being poor feels like. Life is so much discrimination till you start discriminating against yourself.

I remember one day, begging at the hospital's car park. I had exhausted the social worker. So I walk to this respectable man, and explain my situation, and the man gently refers me back to the social worker. That's when you discover you are poor indeed.

And I fear this may be what the family is going through. And I speak to them as a 'comrade'. If they are bottom rock, they have nothing to lose but their chains. They should start focusing on living and let the dead bury the dead.

@tycho. Suppose this was wife... Would you go ahead and let them keep the body?
Im not seeing how @ Pastor M is getting any help from your advice.
I agree we have national issues to sort, but at this time.. The family needs the body. So lets give advice or help to make this happen.

This is a sad scenario. It is just one of the many similar ones in our country. It is a fact that many do not pay for NHIF because they are "not employed"
yet it would cost round-about ksh160 per month. If such a family had such a cover, how much more would the hospital demand from them?. Would the "social worker" or the hospital look at their case more favourably?

tell them to go to kituo cha sheria or ask lsk for free legal help. though hospitals usually detain bodies till fees are paid, it is illegal. a human body is neither property nor asset to be detained for fees.