Kenyans are unhappy with M.P Shah Hospital in Nairobi after it charged a medical bill of Sh858, 335 to Matilda Anyango for just 12 hours.
On the night of April 11, Anyango, 32, was on her way home at Kangemi when she was attacked by robbers who stabbed her.
She was left in critical condition and was rushed to M.P Shah located in Parklands, Nairobi. She died twelve hours later-at 10am on April 12.
The Hospital has defended its cost stating it was not driven up by her duration of stay in hospital but by the complexity of medical treatment given to the patient.
“We would like to state that any medical bill is not dictated only by duration of stay in the hospital, but by the extent and complexity of the medical procedures accorded to the patient,” said the Hospital in a statement yesterday.
It added that Anyango was attended to by a multi-surgery team to try and save her life before she was committed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
But the debate started among Kenyans when philanthropist Ndungu Nyoro called out the hospital on his Facebook Page saying this was “the eighth wonder of the world.”
“If this medical bill is not the eighth wonder of the world, I don’t know what is. Hospitals are fleecing patients,” stated Nyoro.
“For the 12 hours she was being taken care of in the hospital, she accrued a bill of Kshs. 858,000. Her body is now detained at the hospital mortuary. Scanning through the bill I can see bed charges at Kshs 42,600 among many other questionable fees. How on earth?”
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Nyoro said he is still waiting to see intervention from the political class over the matter.
“But where are our waheshimiwas? This is daylight robbery. We need to see them in action. I’m getting mad about this bill.”
Neelly Laisoi said: “Last time I checked bed was 2k per night that was Mater hospital so hii ya 42k in 12 hrs aiii (sic).”
Wangui Nderitu noted: “The only way Kenyans will survive the healthcare costs is to make sure our public hospitals are functioning otherwise private hospitals are in business.”
But there are those who felt the hospital bill was justified by all means.
“Anyone who has ever been through an emergency case in a private hospital will understand this bill too well.. Her case many surgeons were involved,” Kaati Xtine said.
“The bed was an ICU bed. Remember deposit for ICU at Mp Shah is 450k. Drugs used in ICU are not the usual drugs used in the rest of the hospital. The drugs used cost more, and if the patient was given antibiotics, she was given stronger antibiotic,” Mwanaidi Muhavi said.