Activist and journalist Hanifa Adan has responded to Health CS Susan Nakhumicha after she questioned why Kenyans were still raising funds to pay medical bills for all injured during protests.
CS Nakhumicha on Wednesday morning said all causalities were treated for free and discharged.
According to Hanifa, Kenyatta National Hospital only waived the bills after a local TV station aired the plight of one of the injured protesters.
She asked CS Nakhumicha to stop bringing politics to the matter.
"There are so many people in KNH complaining up to now that they haven’t received surgery yet and are in pain. We transferred 5 people from KNH to Nairobi West and they’re doing well," the activist claimed.
In another post on X, Hanifa said they have been paying hospital bills for those injured in other parts of the country and they await invoices from some who are receiving treatment.
"We’ve been paying for Moi referral hospital, We’re paying for Embu level 5 and other public hospitals as well. Even people in Mbagathi, we visited them and we are waiting for the invoices. I’m repeating, do not play politics with people’s lives," she said.
She also questioned why it is only now that the Health CS is speaking about the issue when the protests have been ongoing for over two weeks.
Hanifa further alleged that it was a plot to make young people turn against one another.
Nakhumicha questioned the motive behind Kenyans raising funds for those injured during the anti-Finance Bill, 2024 protests.
The CS said that over 235 Kenyans injured during the protests were treated for various injuries for free and discharged. She said this is out of a total of 294 casualties.
The CS said 58 others remain admitted in various hospitals, while one is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She added that three others await surgery.
"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.
"Out of the total 294 casualties attended to in our Referral Hospitals, 235 have been treated for various degrees of injuries and discharged and non has been asked for payment. 58 are still admitted with 1 in ICU, and 3 waiting for theatre. We wish them a quick recovery," Nakhumicha said.
Her remarks come even as a section of Kenyans continue to raise funds for those injured during the demonstrations.
The funds, which were raised through an M-Changa were upwards of Sh29.7 million as of Wednesday morning.