A wave of concern has swept the Senate as reports surface of new mothers being held in public hospitals due to unpaid medical fees, highlighting persistent gaps in maternal healthcare under the Social Health Authority.
Legislators said the shift from the previous Linda Mama Programme has left many women without support, exposing them to unnecessary confinement after delivery.
During Tuesday’s session, senators urged the Standing Committee on Health to investigate the issue and recommend solutions.
Tharaka Nithi Senator Mwenda Gataya emphasized the urgency of finding out why hospitals continue detaining mothers and what the Ministry of Health is doing to prevent such cases.
Gataya noted that the termination of the Linda Mama Programme, which offered comprehensive maternity care under NHIF, has left a large coverage gap. He said the programme had provided mothers with nine months of antenatal care and three months of postnatal support, benefits that are now missing under the SHA.
“The programme offered comprehensive care, covering antenatal services for nine months and postnatal care for three months after delivery. However, with the recent transition to the Social Health Authority and the discontinuation of Linda Mama, access to maternal healthcare has significantly declined. This has led to a resurgence of cases where women are detained in public hospitals after childbirth due to the inability to settle medical bills,” he said.
The senator’s concerns reflect a string of incidents across the country, triggering public outrage and scrutiny over the new health system. In September, at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, 27 mothers were unable to leave due to unpaid fees. Patients described the conditions as harsh, with one young mother, Abigail Chepkorir, recounting their struggles.
“We don’t even have Pampers or pads. We are really suffering. When we ask the social worker for help, they insult us and tell us we will remain here,” she told Citizen TV.
Hospital chief executive Philip Kirwa defended the facility, explaining that the detentions were not intentional but linked to gaps in SHA registration and documentation. He said teenage mothers without national identity cards are issued temporary documents to facilitate registration.
“For those who cannot pay, the credit committee reviews their cases,” Kirwa said, adding that several mothers have since been released.
In another case, a video circulated showing women held at Thika Level 5 Hospital over unpaid maternity bills. One of the mothers said, “We are suffering as mothers. We have children at home, yet we are stuck here two, even three months, because we cannot pay.”
Kenya Medical Association chair Simon Kigondu highlighted the role of public misunderstanding, noting, “Politicians tell Kenyans that hospital care is free. But if you haven’t paid your SHA premiums, your costs will not be covered.”
The Senate committee is expected to conduct thorough hearings to ensure new mothers are no longer subjected to unlawful detention and that access to maternal healthcare is improved under the current system.
