Sick Kenyan Students Stranded in India as Edu Afya Cover Fades

“I live like a bird, but at least a bird has a nest on a tree – I have no place to lay my head when night falls,” Tophister Ong’onga says via a phone call.

Tophister, along with her daughter Rachael and son, has been in India for the last two months, seeking medical treatment at Sanar International Hospital. Amidst the noise of people speaking in a strong Indian accent, Tophister manages to stay focused on her phone interview.

"I apologize. They are insisting that I relocate my belongings. As night approaches, I find myself without shelter. My mind is filled with worry, unsure of where to seek refuge. My primary concern is finding a place where I can prepare warm porridge for myself, my ailing daughter, and my son, who remains faithfully by her side," Tophister recounts.

Tophister took the advice of a doctor at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and embarked on a journey from Kenya to seek treatment for her daughter in India. Sickle cell disease had caused her daughter's hip bones to deteriorate. The expenses for Rachael's medical care, as a sickle cell disease patient, were supposed to be covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which is now defunct. As a result of her hospitalization during the national exams, Rachael, an 18-year-old student at St Anne's Girls' Kisoko, was unable to complete her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. Along with 3,000 other candidates, she missed out on taking the exams due to illness.

Their time in India for medical treatment started without any issues, but on December 5, 2023, they were given notice that their medical expenses would no longer be covered after December 31st. This news left Tophister perplexed as she lacked the financial means to personally cover the hospital bill. She had relied on the Edu Afya coverage to handle all the expenses. Even though Rachael was discharged on December 6th, she was readmitted later on and received treatment until the end of 2023. However, her daughter still required an additional 24 days of care. Moreover, their visa and accommodation payments had also expired.

Another Kenyan Rhoda Masolo has dedicated a full week to supporting her 18-year-old daughter during her hospital stay, as she confronts a medical predicament akin to Rachael's. They arrived in India last September after which her daughter's treatment commenced. Unfortunately, after two months of care, the hospital conveyed the disheartening news to Rhoda that Edu Afya would no longer be responsible for covering her daughter's medical expenses. Consequently, Rhoda now finds herself saddled with an extra burden of Sh2 million in bills. Caren, her daughter, had an opportunity to take her final exams at Namgoi Secondary School, but unfortunately, she was unable to take part in it.