A family from Kajiado is in shock after their critically ill baby was taken to a private facility in Eastleigh during transit, without their consent, and is currently being held in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to soaring medical bills and limited parental access. This is the latest in a heartbreaking story of neglect and miscommunication.
The incident, which has sparked outrage and drawn attention to ethical concerns in emergency healthcare services, began when the infant, suffering from severe respiratory complications, was rushed by ambulance from Kajiado to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for specialized care. But shockingly, the ambulance made an unapproved detour, ferrying the baby to a private clinic in Eastleigh without informing or consulting the parents.
On arrival, the child was admitted directly into ICU care, and the parents were told they could not see their baby “due to hospital policy.” Hours turned into days, and the distraught parents remained locked out, receiving only sporadic updates on their child’s condition. To make matters worse, the facility began issuing daily invoices totaling tens of thousands of shillings, quickly accumulating to an amount far beyond the family’s means.
“We were never consulted about the change in destination. We only found out after we arrived at KNH and realized our baby was not there,” the father told reporters, his voice breaking.
Health rights activists have decried the incident as a breach of both medical ethics and parental rights. “This is a dangerous precedent, where patients are rerouted for profit without consent,” said one advocate.
The Ministry of Health has since been urged to investigate the matter and regulate ambulance referral practices, while the family continues to plead for the safe release and transfer of their child to a public hospital.
This tragic ordeal casts a harsh light on the state of emergency healthcare in Kenya, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and the sanctity of patient rights.
