Man found dead outside hospital as authorities refute claims he was denied access

Coast General Hospital (CGH) has denied allegations that a middle-aged man who died at the entrance of the hospital’s gate was denied entry into the facility.

The man was found lying dead in the morning hours at the entrance of the hospital but the cause of his death is yet to be established.

It is not also clear if he was sick and what he was ailing from.

His crutches laid at the place where he allegedly slept when the hospital sent him away.

The man identified as Sammy from Likoni is alleged to have been denied access to the hospital because of his shabby and dirty look that prompted security guards to deny him entry.

County Health Executive Hazel Koitaba, however, denied the allegations and said that the body of the deceased had been dumped at the gate.

Koitaba said that the hospital had reported the incident to the police and the body taken for a post-mortem to establish the cause of death.

But Koitaba’s narrative differs from that of a businessman and vendor outside the hospital who alleged that the deceased had camped at the hospital’s gate since Friday. 

Koitaba said it is unfortunate the man had died but refuted claims that he was ever denied access to the facility.

“It is not true that the deceased was denied access, the body was dumped and we have reported the matter to the police,” said Koitaba.

She said that CGH is a public hospital that admits a lot of people from all walks of life.

“CGH is a public facility that admits a lot of people from all walks of life with various ailments, they have no reason to deny anyone access,” said Koitaba

She added that it will be absurd that a public hospital that treats Covid-19 patients will lock anyone out and decline to attend to them.

Confirming the incident, Urban Sub County Police boss Eliud Monari said that the man aged 35 years had indeed been found dead at the hospital gate.

He, however, claimed that the man was a street beggar and that police are investigating the allegations that the man had been denied entry into the hospital.

“The guy is said to be a street beggar and was found dead outside the hospital gate. Investigations are underway about the allegations that he was denied entry into the hospital,” said Monari.

But according to a business operator whose shop is adjacent to the hospital gate, Sammy who was using crutches had camped outside the hospital’s gate after being denied entry into the facility by the security guards at the gate.

He claimed Sammy had been dropped at the hospital gate by a tuk-tuk and upon trying to access the hospital the security guards denied him access.

The businessman whose identity is withheld said Sammy told him that he wanted to get medication for the injuries sustained after he was involved in an accident.

The businessman further said that Sammy said that he had been treated at the hospital once and given crutches that he was using to walk with.

“The man has been here at the hospital gate since Friday seeking to enter, he said that he comes from Likoni and was seeking medication for the injuries he sustained in an accident sometimes back,” the businessman said.