The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has released all teenage mothers who were being held over unpaid bills and issues related to Social Health Authority (SHA).
This follows a public outcry and viral claims, including a TikTok video, alleging that the new mothers were being detained due to unpaid SHA premiums or failure to register with the authority, claims the hospital initially denied.
In a statement issued on Sunday, MTRH confirmed the mothers had been discharged. The hospital stated that discharge processes were already underway before the reports emerged.
The hospital added that its Credit and Evaluation Committee reviewed and cleared the cases of mothers who lacked the necessary documents for SHA registration.
“Those who were unable to present the requisite documentation for Social Health Authority (SHA) registration such as national identification cards or birth certificates had their cases reviewed and appropriately cleared by the Hospital Credit and Evaluation Committee,” the statement read.
Reports had earlier highlighted issues at MTRH, including congestion, bed sharing, poor meals, and delays in discharge caused by pending SHA registration or unpaid premiums.
MTRH CEO Philip Kirwa dismissed claims of illegal detention, saying patients continued to receive medical care during their stay.
Kirwa explained that teenage mothers who lacked identification documents were given temporary IDs to enable them to register with SHA and avoid discharge delays.
“Congestion may occur when patients have not completed SHA enrolment, but we continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health to ease the process,” Philip Kirwa Chief Executive Officer at MTRH said.
The issue comes amid growing tension between health facilities and the government over delayed SHA payments.
On Sunday, the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) announced that, starting Monday September 22, 2025, all private hospitals under its umbrella would start demanding cash payments from SHA-covered patients.
RUPHA said the shift was necessary due to prolonged delays and non-payment from SHA, making it financially unsustainable to continue offering services on credit.
