Senate Health Committee Deliberates On Bill To Prohibit Detention Of Patients And Corpses In Health Facilities

Sunday, 2 November, 2025

SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE DELIBERATES ON BILL TO PROHIBIT DETENTION OF PATIENTS AND CORPSES IN HEALTH FACILITIES

Bunge Tower
Thursday, 30th October 2025

The Senate Committee on Health, led by Vice Chairperson Senator Mariam Omar, today held a meeting to deliberate on the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2025 sponsored by Nyamira Senator Mogeni Okong’o.
The Health (Amendment) Bill, 2025 seeks to amend the Health Act to prohibit the detention of patients and the bodies of deceased persons by health facilities due to unpaid medical bills.
The Bill further aims to give effect to Articles 28, 29, and 39 of the Constitution, which safeguard the rights to human dignity, freedom and security of the person, and freedom of movement.
In addition, it seeks to align Kenya’s domestic legislation with international obligations, including Article 11 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The proposed amendment also provides for alternative mechanisms to facilitate the recovery of fees owed to health facilities without infringing on fundamental human rights.

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