Nakuru family finally buries loved one

Edward Ng’ang’a and his wife Janet Ng’ang’a display a photo of their late Loice Wanja, who died at the Mater hospital in Nairobi on September 21, 2018. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI

 

Imagine the pain of losing a loved one and not being able to bury them? That was the agony of Mr. Edward Ng’ang’a and his wife Janet after Mater Hospital in Nairobi refused to release their daughter, Loice Wanja’s body over hospital bill arrears.

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Mater Hospital finally agreed to release the body of the deceased on November 8th after the Nation highlighted the plight of the family which was denied a chance to bury their daughter.

“I’m grateful to the Nation for highlighting our agony. This is a relief to my wife, the family, neighbours and the two children Wanja left,” Mr Ng’ang’a said.

The late Loice Wanja died on September 21, 2018 after undergoing a heart surgery in July this year.

Yesterday, Ms Wanja who died at 36 was finally given a proper send off by her family and was laid to rest at the Nakuru South Cemetery.

 

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At the time of her death, Wanja’s family had raised KSh 6 million and promised to pay the remaining KSh 4 million after the burial but the hospital still detained the body over the unpaid dues.

“So far we have paid KSh 6 million. We have sold property, our sons have taken loans to clear the bill but it keeps on rising,” said Wanja’s father.

Wanja was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and underwent open heart surgery in July 2018 but later passed away on September 21. According to Ng’ang’a, they decided not to conduct an autopsy as they could not immediately raise the required cost.

The family had also made an application to the High Court through their lawyer to appeal to the hospital to release the body of the late Wanja.

 

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What’s your take on hospitals detaining bodies due to unsettled bills? Is it policy or outright cruelty?

 

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