The Karen Hospital has sued a patient who is stuck at its facility, unable to settle a bill totalling to more than Ksh.23 million.
According to court papers seen by Nai Haps, the patient Jackline Nelima Mutaki has been at the facility since February 16, 2019.
She had been booked for an elective cesarean section after undergoing an obstetric ultra-sound.
The Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Betty Gikonyo said that after the routine preparation for the Cesarean Section, spinal anesthesia was administered but the patient developed complications.
“That the procedure was delayed for some minutes to enable the patient be resuscitated and after the operation, the respondent was taken to the High Dependency Unit for post-operative management,” the court papers say.
The Hospital further said the patient has been undergoing airway maintenance and physiotherapy as she continues to get treated for recurrent chest infections.
According to the hospital, efforts to reach her family have been futile as they appear to have vanished.
The facility now wants the court to allow them discharge the patient for home-based care or alternatively, grant consent for her referral to KNH.
The Kenya Health Sector Referral Implementation Guidelines requires consent before a patient is referred to another facility or taken to home-based care.
“The hospital bill is too high for the patient or family to pay and Karen Hospital can no longer afford to keep her in their facility,” reads the court documents.
However the court said that it will only hear the case if the hospital amends the petition or takes actions on the matter
The case will be mentioned on September 23.
