Family demands answers from KNH after kin goes missing

A family in Nairobi is accusing the Kenyatta National Hospital of negligence after their kin reportedly went missing.

53-year-old Thomas Kamuyu Ndung'u was taken to the KNH on Monday morning by his children for a medical check-up and was admitted after the family paid Sh8, 500 fees.

According to the son, Kelvin Ndung'u, the hospital management called at around 2 am to inform them that their father was missing.

Kelvin said they had to wait until 5 am to go to the hospital due to the government's curfew directives.

Kamuyu's daughter, Mary Wanjiku, said they were directed to search for their dad at the casualty area after arriving at the hospital but to no avail.

Wanjiku also said the hospital advised them to have their dad admitted since the doctor who was supposed to attend to their father was not around on Monday.

The family said Kamuyu was ailing from depression and other conditions.

"They demanded for the payment first. We paid and left him at the hands of the doctor.

"Our blame is on the hospital, coz they took him, we paid everything, and they said that officially he was under the care of the hospital, only for them to start making calls at 2, that the patient is missing. All we want is to know where our dad is and what happened," said Wanjiku.

Another family member said they called his workplace, but no one had seen him.

On Wednesday, July 22, the KNH management released a statement that confirmed the patient's disappearance.

"The 53-year-old male patient left the A&E (accident & emergency) area while awaiting transfer to the ward. Investigations are ongoing to establish the whereabouts of the patient," read the statement.

Kamuyu's whereabouts are yet to be known despite the family reporting the case to the nearby Kenyatta Hospital police post.