Kyangwithya West MCA urges reforms to protect poor mothers, expand health insurance coverage, and uphold patients’ dignity.
Kyangwithya West MCA and Deputy Speaker of the Kitui County Assembly, Christopher Nzilu Nzioka, has raised alarm over the continued detention of mothers in health facilities across Kitui County due to unpaid medical bills, describing the practice as inhumane and a violation of human dignity.
Nzilu said many women, particularly those from low-income families, remain confined in hospital wards long after they have been medically discharged because they are unable to settle maternity bills.
According to the MCA, the affected mothers often seek hospital care to safely deliver their babies but are denied the opportunity to return home with their newborns because of financial hardship.
He noted that most of the women come from vulnerable households with no stable source of income, no medical insurance, and limited access to financial support, leaving them trapped in a cycle of debt at a time when they should be recovering and caring for their families.
Nzilu said healthcare facilities should be places of healing and compassion, not detention, emphasizing that no mother should be deprived of her freedom simply because she cannot afford to pay hospital charges.
To address the problem, the Deputy Speaker called for urgent reforms, including increased enrollment into the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), expanded county medical waivers for vulnerable families, and strict enforcement of policies prohibiting the detention of patients over unpaid medical bills.
He urged county leaders, health administrators, and other stakeholders to prioritize the dignity and welfare of patients as Kitui continues implementing Universal Health Coverage initiatives.
“The time has come to put people before debt. No child should begin life while their mother remains detained in a hospital because of poverty,” Nzilu said.
His remarks add to growing calls for more accessible and equitable healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable mothers, as leaders push for reforms to ensure financial constraints do not deny citizens their fundamental right to quality healthcare.
