Nairobi Women’s Hospital clarifies claims of patient extortion, detention
By Mary Ouko, June 27, 2023
The Nairobi Women’s Hospital has come out to denounce claims of extortion and detention of patients following an exposé by Citizen TV.
In a statement, the hospital’s CEO Sam Thenya dismissed the allegations noting that they have never received grants nor funds from the alleged investors to subsidize medical bills.
They also refuted claims that they detained patients stressing that as a hospital they fully complied with the ruling of the High Court.
“The hospital does not detain patients for any reason at any of our hospitals as alleged. We have fully complied with the ruling by the High Court of Kenya. The Nairobi Women’s Hospital has never received any grants or funds from the said Direct Foreign Investments (DFIs) for subsiding patients’ medical bills whatsoever. Africa Health Fund (AHF) made investments that have been purely commercial,” the statement reads in parts.
PRESS RELEASE
— The Nairobi Women’s Hospital (@nairobi_women) June 26, 2023
26TH JUNE 2023. pic.twitter.com/YQFEhnBclt
In addition, the management clarified that they had partnered with investors approved by the government.
Further, the facility reiterated its commitment to providing quality health services to patients and regretted any distress the allegations may have caused their patients and stakeholders.
“Our mission is to provide quality, accessible and affordable healthcare in a sustainable way to the lower and middle class, which we have successfully done over the last 22 years,” the statement added.
According to the exposé based on a report by Oxfam International, the facility was accused of financially extorting patients despite receiving funding from developed institutions to subsidize the medical costs at the facility.
The hospital was also accused of abusing patients and unlawful detention.