Certain patients at the Mbagathi County Referral Hospital remain in the wards after receiving treatment and being released.
Due to the challenging economic times, the hospital administration informs us that these patients would instead remain in the hospital than return home.
"We have 40 such patients," says the hospital's CEO.
The hospital, already stressed by massive debt, is finding it extremely difficult to maintain these patients.
The hospital has over Ksh. One hundred million in unpaid supplier debt, dating back to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) era.
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The hospital is under financial strain from more than just the NMS debts; through the Linda Mama program, the NHIF owes the hospital over Ksh. 80 million.
With 452 beds available, the hospital can accommodate nearly twice as many patients daily.
The hospital cannot afford to pay the contractors to finish the work, which would also increase the hospital's capacity to handle emergency and critical care services. Hence, the expansion program that would have increased this capacity still needs to be completed.
The Nairobi County government, which is currently in charge of managing the medical facility, is aware of the difficulties it faces, such as unpaid bills and late payments for the salaries of medical staff.
Speaking to Citizen TV, Nairobi County Secretary Patrick Analo asserts that the debt is accurate and that the Office of the President is auditing it to transfer it to the county. Meanwhile, the county claims to be working to pay off its January salary arrears.
The county adds that since KEMSA was hired to provide the hospital with medication and medical equipment after the hospital settled its hospital's Ksh. With two hundred forty million bills with the supplier, the hospital's ability to dispense medicine has improved.
