Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has clarified that victims injured during the anti-Finance Bill protests have been receiving treatment for free in public hospitals.
In a statement on Wednesday, July 3, Nakhumicha said that 235 patients out of the 295 casualties attended to in the Referral Hospitals had been treated for various degrees of injuries and discharged.
According to her, none of the discharged had been asked to pay any fee. Nakhumicha made the statement in response to ongoing crowdfunding aimed at assisting families of victims injured during the protests.
“My attention has been drawn to efforts by some individuals to raise funds from the public to pay hospital bills for persons injured during the demonstrations,” stated Nakhumicha.
“Out of the total 294 casualties attended to in our Referral Hospitals, 235 have been treated for various degrees of injuries and discharged and none has been asked for payment.”
In her statement, CS Nakhumicha further revealed that 58 patients are still admitted with 1 in ICU while 3 others are waiting for theater.
Moments later, however, activist Hanifa Farsafi responded to the statement by the CS noting that the government only waived medical bills after a media report. According to the activist, some patients admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital were yet to undergo various surgeries and were still in pain.
“We transferred 5 people from KNH to Nairobi West and they’re doing well. KNH refused for people to be transferred after that and started politics,” she stated.
“You had kitty funds, I requested you don’t charge them but you still follow people with bills at home!!!! Usilete politics hapa wewe. (don’t politicize this matter).”
Hanifa rallies support through M-Changa
Her statement came against the backdrop of the anti-Finance Bill protests which left hundreds injured and scores dead.
In a show of solidarity, Kenyans embarked on a fundraising campaign aimed at clearing medical bills and helping families whose relatives were killed in the protests.
The drive led by activist Hanifa Farsafi received overwhelming support from Kenyans that saw it cross the Ksh20 million-mark last month.
Also Read: Hanifa Farsafi: Meet Activist Who Played Leading Role in #OccupyParliament Protests
However, questions regarding openness and transparency in usage of the funds emerged leading to a spat on social media.
In her defense, Hanifa vowed to share receipts detailing how every shilling was spent amid the suspicion from some members of the public privy to the drive.
Responding to questions raised by X users over the weekend, the activist and media personality said that the crowdsourcing platform would generate records showing money transactions in form of a PDF which she would share once ready and urged Kenyans to be patient.
“I’m not the one with the money but M-Changa. and I’ve posted all the receipts, and they’ll generate the PDF,” she stated.
“Your phone must be heating up from the notifications of mentioning my name,” she added.
Also Read: Activist Hanifa Addresses Allegations of Mishandling Protest Victims Donations
A report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) showed that 361 people were injured across the country during the two weeks of protests. At the same time, the human rights watchdog Commission detailed that 39 people were killed in the protests with Nairobi (17 fatalities) being the most affected.
The statistics contradicted an earlier assertion by President William Ruto who noted that only 19 people had been killed. Whilst the government has been adamant that those killed were criminals who were endangering lives, human rights defenders and members of the international community have raised concerns over loss of innocent lives in what has been painted as excessive use of force by law enforcers.
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