Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has refuted reports that over 100 women were detained at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi due to unpaid maternity bills. Appearing before the Senate Health Committee on Thursday, November 6, Sakaja clarified that no patients were being held at the hospital’s maternity unit, attributing the delays in discharges to a review process for possible bill waivers.
According to the Governor, the hospital operates a care initiative that identifies needy patients and mobilizes financial assistance from well-wishers to settle their medical expenses. He explained that the hospital also assists patients in enrolling in the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme to ensure continued healthcare support.
Sakaja emphasized that patients unable to clear their bills can still be released through the county’s waiver system, which is managed by a special committee that meets weekly in line with county regulations.
“We do not retain women in facilities; it is the waiver period that took some time, and that is what we are refining. Facilities cannot run if payments are not made,” Sakaja stated.
The Governor’s remarks come days after former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko reportedly cleared hospital bills for 110 mothers said to have been detained at Mama Lucy Hospital. Sakaja, however, dismissed the reports as misleading, noting that the county is working to streamline its waiver approval process to prevent such delays.
In addition, Sakaja highlighted key improvements in Nairobi’s public health sector, particularly in emergency care. He revealed that the county now has 46 ICU beds spread across Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital (18), Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital (10), and Mbagathi Hospital (8), along with new neonatal ICU units.
“Before I became Governor, Nairobi had zero ICU capacity in public hospitals,” Sakaja added. “Today, Kenyatta National Hospital is no longer the only public facility offering critical care services.”
