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Patients unable to clear bills at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital are spending nights in the corridors after allegedly being kicked out of wards.
The patients claim medics threw them out for lack of clearance fees to facilitate their discharge.
Julius Akumu, 38, writhed in pain on a thin mattress at the balcony of Ward Two. He had accrued a Sh40,000 bill. Mr Akumu is not covered by NHIF.
Akumu claimed to have developed chest pains after a week of braving cold nights. He wished the bill could be waived.
Akumu was admitted to the hospital four weeks ago and underwent a successful surgery. His family has been unable to the money needed, subjecting him to the suffering at the facility. “They give me little food, but the priority is given to patients in the ward. I fear my health is deteriorating,” lamented Akumu.
Vincent Okello
Next to Akumu lay George Odhiambo, 41, with a fresh wound after a stomach operation.
When The Standard visited the facility yesterday, there were five mattresses scattered on the balcony of Ward Two for discharged patients.
“When it starts to rain, we are taken in and sleep in the corridor. All I want is to leave and be reunited with my family,” said Odhiambo.
Vincent Okello, another patient, was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago with a bullet wound in his leg. He had a bill of Sh40,000, which was partly waived by the county government.
The hospital’s Chief Executive Office Peter Okoth confirmed that the male surgical ward with a bed capacity of 40 was congested with 59 patients.
He said among the discharged patients who stuck at the facility were those abandoned by family.
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