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Family of Brian Kimani holds burial without his body. PHOTO| CITIZEN DIGITAL
Gertrude’s hospital vows to detain Brian Kimani’s body until Ksh.11.4M bill is paid
Brian Kimani’s body will remain at the Gertrude’s Children Hospital until the family finds a way to settle the Ksh.11.9 million bill that accrued following the treatment he received at the facility for 5 months.
This comes after a meeting between the family and the hospital on Thursday that saw the medical facility reduce the initial by Ksh.1.5 million.
Kimani was receiving treatment at the facility from September 21, 2019 after developing complications from a bone marrow transplant he had had four months earlier in India until February this year when he passed on.
For nearly three hours, Kimani’s parents put up their case before the hospital’s management; theirs being a plea to have the body of their son released to them for burial.
The family has now entered into an agreement with the hospital on how the payment will be done before Kimani’s body is released.
However, according to the hospital’s Chief Finance Officer Baraka Kerich, without that arrangement or commitment then the body remains at the facility.
“I do not have a business or a job. I am appealing to the public and the government to help me settle this bill,” said Stephen Njoroge,” the deceased’s father.
Gertrude’s Children Hospital has waived off Ksh.1.5 million from the Ksh.17.9 million, with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) settling Ksh.668,000; this, together with other payments done, leaves the outstanding bill at Ksh.11.9 million.
Kimani was admitted at Gertrude’s on September 21 last year to February 29 this year when he passed on; among the charges during that time included Ksh.1.9 million for external doctor fee, Ksh.3.4 million for laboratory investigations, and Ksh.4.9 million was Pharmacy charges.
His room rent, which included some time at the High Dependency Unit, totaled Ksh.4 million with his medical gases and machine income adding up to Ksh.638,000.
While the family remains grateful for the hospital’s effort in taking care of their son during his last moments, they insist their hands are tied as far as the bill goes.
The family was forced was on Thursday forced to hold a burial for their son without his body.
