A Nairobi County MCA is now seeking to have private hospitals barred from charging visitors parking fees.
Nominated MCA Anne Thumbi has introduced a motion calling for the scrapping of the levies charged by private hospitals and is set to be debated by the assembly this week.
In the motion seen by The Standard, the MCA decries an influx in the number of private hospitals which have parking slots that charge patients and other visitors who throng the healthcare facilities.
“It is very unfair for a patient or the family of the patient to incur extra parking charges yet they have medical bills to cater for. Parking should be free in all hospitals,” said Thumbi.
Citing Article 186 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya, the first time MCA noted that the Constitution provides powers to the County Government to govern parking.
She further blamed the lack of regulations on private parking as the major cause of the influx in private hospitals and soaring of parking charges.
“… Concerned that there are no regulations to private parkings in the County which has resulted to exorbitant parking fees in some private hospitals in the County,” the motion reads in part.
Ms. Thumbi however emphasized that if it was impossible for the county to scrap the private parking fees, it should formulate policies to ensure that all proceeds from the parking slots are paid to the county, to ensure they are prudently used in maintaining of health facilities.
“This Assembly urges the County Executive to develop a policy to regulate parking charges by private hospitals in the county to avert exploitation by owners of premises through high parking fees when patients and the general public visit such premises for services,” she said.
The motion will either be passed or rejected during the debate this week.
