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| Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Eldoret |
At least 27 new mothers are being held at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret over unpaid medical bills, some for up to three months, triggering public outrage after a viral video showed the women in a crowded maternity ward.
According to reports, the mothers, including teenagers, said they were enduring inhumane conditions marked by congestion and verbal abuse from staff.
“We don’t even have pampers or pads. We are really suffering. When we ask the social worker for help, they insult us and tell us we will remain here,” 17-year-old Abigail Chepkorir told Citizen TV.
Patients said they have been confined at the facility for periods ranging between 21 days and six months, with bills ranging from Ksh.20,000 to Ksh.500,000.
Hospital management confirmed the outstanding balances but denied claims of mistreatment.
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| Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Kirwa |
Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Kirwa said the hospital continues to provide care and blamed some of the delays on systemic issues.
“The main challenge, even with the teenagers, is that they have no identification or birth certificates. This makes it difficult for us to clear them or for the Social Health Authority to pay,” Dr. Kirwa said.
He added that patients either pay cash or have their cases reviewed by a hospital credit committee. Some of the detained mothers, he said, have been already been cleared and discharged.
The arrests have sparked questions regarding the affordability of maternal health care under the new Social Health Authority (SHA) that was introduced in place of the National Health Insurance Fund in October 2024.
Human rights organizations have requested immediate action and have written that detaining mothers and infants over unpaid bills is a violation of their dignity and could lead to health problems.
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