For the last four years, the only home Monica Kerubo has known is Kenyatta National Hospital.
She has been bed-ridden at KNH since September 8, 2014, when a neighbour took her to the hospital when she fell ill.
Kerubo developed difficulty in breathing and doctors diagnosed her with a disease that had destroyed her lungs.
The 42-year old mother of one has her hospital bill now standing at Sh5 million. Sadly, even if the hospital was to release her, she would have to part with Sh70, 000 a month to stay alive since she has to rely on oxygen cylinders for breathing as her lungs are no longer functional.
Kerubo narrated to the Standard that she opts to be at the hospital because she has nowhere to go or a family to return to except her son, Isaac Marwanga who is now a teenager.
He dropped out of school in Form Three due to lack of school fees.
She says her parents died while she was young and was brought to Nairobi by a friend. She started working as a domestic worker before becoming a vegetable vendor.
“I had two sisters but they died in a road accident. I only have my son. His father left us. My son has no place to stay. He is currently living with a woman only known to me as Njeri. The landlord gave him this handwritten note asking me to pay Sh100,000 in outstanding arrears before he can be allowed to go back to the house where he was living,” she said.
“I would not know where to go if I left hospital today because my house was closed and I have no money to rent another one.”
Dr. Judy K’opiyo, a doctor at KNH said it is almost impossible to release Kerubo because she will need oxygen cylinders all her life.
“She will need a supply of oxygen for the rest of her life,” said Dr. K’opiyo.
The doctor said even if she was to go home, she would require an oxygen concentrator in the house.
“A cylinder is the cheaper option but she will need to refill it every two days at a cost of Sh3,000. The oxygen concentrator costs about Sh100,000 and consumes power of about Sh4,000 a month,” she said as further quoted by the Standard.
Besides, she is on 10 different lifelong drugs that will cost about Sh20,000 a month.
Kerubo does not get visitors. Even her son rarely visits her because he cannot raise the fare to and from Ongata Rongai.