Mike Sonko frees patients held in city hospitals over debt

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has ordered release of all patients held in county hospitals over unpaid medical bills.

The governor directed the Health Services minister Mohammed Dagane to ensure all detained patients are released unconditionally.

But Mr Sonko tasked Mr Dagane and his Finance counterpart Winfred Kathagu with devising ways to cover the patients’ Sh1 million outstanding bills.

“As a good gesture, I am directing my CECs of Health and Finance to devise ways of covering the costs of patients held at our medical facilities due to lack of fees,” said Sonko.

About 50 patients have already been discharged from Mbagathi and Mama Lucy hospitals, Mr Sonko said.

He was speaking on Sunday during Good Deeds Day celebrations held on City Hall Way.

Mr Sonko is the Good Deeds ambassador in Kenya and is set to host the Good Deeds Africa Regional Conference in Nairobi in August, 2019.

“I appeal to organisations involved with volunteerism to participate in the event and share their successes, challenges and lessons learnt, in order to promote volunteering in Kenya,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nairobi County government’s monthly clean-up campaign has received a major boost after the Chinese government on Saturday offered to support the initiative.

The support will come in terms of provision of working tools, heavy machinery and trucks during the clean-up drives as well as mobilising its nationals residing in Nairobi to participate.

The Chinese embassy also donated Sh500,000 to buy cleaning tools for volunteers.

Governor Sonko welcomed the move by the Chinese government but warned Nairobi residents and industrial firms against dumping garbage in undesignated areas.

“We have put in a lot of effort to clean the rivers, and dumping fresh garbage makes everything we have done zero work,” he said.