Sh6 million hospital bill confines UoN student in ICU bed for months

It has a harrowing five months for Edwin Langat (pictured) who graduated from the University of Nairobi in 2016.

Edu — as he is popularly known by his peers — has been lying motionlessly in his bed in the Intensive Care Unit at St Luke’s Hospital in Eldoret. His hope of realising his life’s dream is what keeps him going each passing day.

The student of bio-systems engineering graduated with first class honours, landing him three international scholarships for a master’s degree in Europe. Then something drastic happened; he developed a nervous system disorder known as GBS, a rapid onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system. That was in April this year.

“My breathing is getting weak...” that was what he said, before he was rushed to the hospital and quickly transferred to the ICU where a breathing test showed he needed immediate machine support to breathe.

Initial symptoms of GBS are typically changes in sensation or pain along with muscle weakness, beginning in the feet and hands.

“The problem started in April. He told us he was feeling weak. He was quite active before,” Dennis Lang’at, a close friend told The Nairobian.

The hospital bill at St Luke’s where he is admitted is over Sh6.3 million (as at September 7, 2017). It costs more that Sh100,000 per week to keep him at the hospital.

Having drained their resources to cover part of the bill and see Edu back to his feet, his humble family and friends are now relying on well-wishers to raise the amount via M-Pesa Paybill 74567 for Edwin Lang’at account.

Edu hails from Kepkelion West, Kericho County. He was a student at Barsiele Day Secondary School where he scored A- before being admitted to the University of Nairobi.

The family is appealing to

Kenyans for help to settle the bill.