At least 30 mothers who had been stranded in the maternity ward of Thika Level 5 Hospital due to unpaid hospital bills have finally been granted relief. The women, who had delivered their babies but were unable to leave due to outstanding fees, can now return to their families after the Kiambu County Government settled their bills.
Some of the mothers had been stuck in the facility for over four months, with hospital fees ranging between Ksh.30,000 and Ksh.95,000. One such mother, Susan Wangari, a first-time mother from Ruiru, shared that her bill had escalated to Ksh.95,000 since her admission in August 2024. Despite her baby being in good health, Susan remained confined to the hospital, unable to pay the amount.
While several mothers had babies with complications that required extended care, many others were medically cleared for discharge weeks, or even months, ago. However, their financial constraints had left them trapped in the maternity ward.
For these mothers, the festive season brought no joy as they spent both Christmas and New Year in the hospital, not because of medical concerns but because of their financial struggles.
In their desperation, the mothers had appealed to the Kiambu County Government to step in and waive their debts and reunite them with their families. They also sought assistance from well-wishers to help cover their unpaid fees.
