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Man sues city hospital for ‘detaining’ his wife over bill


A man is asking a Nairobi court  to compel a hospital to release his ailing wife so that she can seek “cheaper” treatment at a public health institution.

Mr Edwin Onyango Odhiambo claims Mrs Rosemary Atieno Onyango has been held hostage at the Nairobi Women’s Hospital against her will due to a disagreement over a  bill.

He claims doctors at the hospital recommended that Mrs Onyango should be taken for urgent dialysis as the hospital lacked a dialysis machine yet they have detained her.

He says his wife is in extreme pain, vomiting and passing out blood in her urine.

His efforts to convince the hospital to release her through their relatives who have offered to give security for the medical bill have been futile. The suit is filed at the High Court.

While Mr Onyango claims he owes the hospital Sh8,300, the institution says the bill is Sh40,000.

“My wife has been subjected to physical pain, psychological torture, inhuman and degrading treatment as well as wrongful confinement against her will,” he says in the suit.

He wants the hospital to be compelled to immediately and unconditionally release the woman  and her medical records so that she can go for further treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital, and to pay the cost of the suit.

Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi certified the matter urgent and directed him to serve the hospital with copies of the application.

The hearing will be on Wednesday.