The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret has come under heavy criticism after shocking claims emerged that new mothers are being detained because of unpaid Social Health Authority fees and that patients are being served leftover food.
The matter has attracted wide attention after a viral TikTok video and a detailed report by the Daily Nation showed disturbing scenes inside the facility, raising questions about the state of care at Kenya’s second-largest referral hospital.
According to the exposé published on September 18, maternity wards at the hospital are overcrowded, with mothers reportedly being held against their will due to problems with SHA registration or unpaid premiums.
It was revealed that some mothers are forced to share one bed, while others sleep on the floor because of congestion.
A young mother, Melvin Nyagoha, only 22 years old, told the publication that she and other new mothers often sleep in shifts and cannot even afford basic items like diapers and soap.
Her words painted a grim picture of women left in desperate conditions while they wait to be discharged.
The report also showed that the Riley Mothers and Baby Hospital Wing, which was intended to provide safe care for mothers, had instead turned into a place where struggling families were held back over lack of money or incomplete documentation.
Videos posted online supported the accounts, showing women stuck at the facility long after they should have been allowed to go home, not because of medical needs but because of bureaucratic and financial hurdles.In response to the uproar, MTRH Chief Executive Officer Philip Kirwa dismissed the accusations of unlawful detention.
He explained that delays in releasing patients were due to incomplete SHA processes such as missing IDs, unprocessed birth certificates, or unpaid contributions.
Kirwa urged families to ensure timely registration to avoid what he called disruptions. However, many Kenyans viewed his response as bureaucratic and insensitive to the suffering of vulnerable mothers and newborns.
Alongside the detention claims, the hospital has also been accused of serving patients leftover meals.
The Daily Nation reported that some patients complained about poor quality food that they believed was recycled.
The hospital has firmly denied this, with the CEO insisting that all meals meet required standards and that no patient is ever served leftovers.
Still, the consistency of patient testimonies has left many members of the public unconvinced, with critics questioning why multiple individuals would share similar accounts if they were not true.
The issue of poor food and overcrowded conditions raises serious concerns about the dignity and well-being of patients. Recovering mothers and sick individuals require proper nutrition and hygiene to heal, and the allegations have cast doubt on whether the hospital is meeting its mandate as a leading referral facility.
While the management admits that congestion in wards is a major challenge, it has maintained that no one is being unlawfully detained.
Temporary IDs for teenage mothers have also been introduced to speed up SHA registration, but critics argue these measures do not address the deeper problems exposed.
The Ministry of Health has been urged to step in and investigate the matter, with civil society groups saying that holding new mothers over unpaid bills violates human rights.
They warn that such practices, combined with poor nutrition and overcrowding, could worsen maternal and child health outcomes in the country.
For now, the hospital continues to deny the allegations, but the public trust has already been shaken.
Unless there is transparency and accountability, the disturbing stories of mothers sleeping in shifts, sharing beds, and being fed questionable meals will remain a lasting stain on the institution’s reputation.
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