Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has clarified reports suggesting that more than 100 women were detained at Mama Lucy Hospital after failing to pay maternity fees.

Appearing before the Senate Health Committee on Thursday, November 6, Sakaja dismissed the claims, stating that no patients were detained in the hospital's maternity unit due to unpaid bills.

He attributed the delays in releasing the women to a slight challenge in the review of the hospital bills for a possible waiver by the county's waiver committee.

According to Sakaja, Mama Lucy Hospital has a care initiative that identifies needy patients and facilitates financial support from well-wishers to cover their medical bills.

The county boss added that the hospital also has a team that assists in the enrolment of patients to the Social Health Authority (SHA) programme. He also clarified that patients who are unable to settle their bills may be discharged through the county waiver system.

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The Governor disclosed that the waiver system is run by a special committee that convenes weekly in accordance with the county waiver circular reference.

"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.

Sakaja's clarification comes days after former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko cleared hospital bills for 110 mothers who had been detained at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital’s maternity ward over unpaid fees.

This is after reports emerged that women, some with newborns just days old, had been detained at the hospital after failing to pay maternity fees. 

During the committee meeting, Sakaja noted that the county’s public hospitals now boast 46 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, strengthening emergency response and improving service delivery across county hospitals.

“Before I became Governor, Nairobi had zero ICU capacity in public hospitals. Today, we have 18 ICU beds at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, 10 at Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital, and 8 at Mbagathi Hospital, along with new neonatal ICU units,” Sakaja claimed.

The Governor noted that previously Kenyatta National Hospital was the only public facility with ICU capacity.