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An ailing Kenyan woman is currently stranded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after she was allegedly ejected from a flight.
The Standard reports that Ms. Wangare Ndumia, 25, was seeking to travel to India for specialized treatment but was kicked out of the flight minutes before take-off on Sunday.
Attendants of the Etihad airlines flight reportedly ejected Wangare together with her sister Ann Ndumia on grounds that she was not fit to fly.
Attempts by Ann to convince the crew that her sister was stable enough to partake the journey fell on deaf ears as officials insisted she was not fit to fly.
Trouble allegedly began after Ann requested to have her sister allocated a seat with enough legroom owing to her health status.
Wangare's right leg is held with screws and metal bars due to a condition of loss of bone mass.
The two were armed with an authorization letter from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) signed by Dr. Samson Kuhora.
The letter indicates Wangare has been diagnosed with severe osteomyelitis- an infection of the bone.
She is also suffering from large bone loss as a result of a fracture and has been referred for insertion of the mega prosthesis at BLK Hospital in New Delhi, India.
“NHIF has reviewed this case and is undertaking to pay up to Ksh500,000 which is equivalent of USD 4,921 for the procedure including investigations related to the primary reason for travel," part of the letter reads.
She says this is the second time the airline has ejected her from the flight after a similar incident last Tuesday.
“And they refused to refund us the cash we paid a total of Ksh116,870," She told The Standard.
The airline has put the blame on a local booking agent, Prudential Travels.
“For all medical reasons travel you ought not to issue tickets before medical clearance with a fit to fly remark," it says in a letter to the agent.
“Kindly note your ticket was within 24 hours we cannot cancel, only airport taxes can be reversed and a credit note issued under the same passenger names. No cash fund is given on Air Arabia. You may cancel the inbound flight.” the airline said after the first incident last week.
The two were forced to book another flight with the same agent and were asked to pay Sh50,000 more.
They secured a flight ticket with Etihad to Delhi via Abu Dhabi, which was scheduled for Sunday at 2:15 pm, this time the agent ensuring all the medical documentation for Wangare were in order.
The two were, however, ejected again with airline officials saying: “We called Medilink, which is the global agent on medical issues for all airlines based in Singapore and they said she was not fit to travel.”
The officials also claimed that Wangare was in serious pain when she was being assisted to board the plane.
She contracted the bone infection after being involved in a road crash in 2017.
Comments
My thoughts exactly! Osteomyelitis though complicated is not that hard to treat regardless of bone mass! The condition's treatment just require agressive IV antibiotics consistently. Kenya is rotten!
Many airlines recommend first class if you are transporting a very sick person. I do not understand why this agency would book them economy class for a patient in her situation. The agency wanted just to sell ticket and get their commission.
My friend, not every1 can afford First or business class. Be empathetic...
@The TRUTH, it is not a matter of price but it about the condition of the patient. Some sick people cannot fit in economy because the seat in the economy class as so tight. Also you have to consider other passengers who will be close to the patient. Are they going to be comfortable. People are looking for anything to sue the airline.
Is that the only airline they can use.Book with a different airline this woman's health is more important than chasing a refund from an Arabian airline.They are monsters I missed a flight and to this day 3 years later the airline insists they are entitled to their money when I called my credit card company and had the charges reversed.Luckiliy I was not sick but there is NOT just one airline that goes to India open your eyes customer is always right leave the dumb arrogant arabs alone
Kwa wazungu, Waarabu, Wahindi, Wayahudi,na popote Mwafrika aendapo inje ya Bara La Afrika, ngozi nyeusi ni kama laana isiyostahili kupewa heshima yoyote. Tuanze na hapa Marekani. Ni mara ngapi nimeingia Burger King, Macdonald, Wendys, na kuingineko kutazamwa kwa jicho la chuki, kinyongo, ubaguzi wa rangi au la lile la kushukiwa? Nikiwa vichochoroni vya kikazi mle Delhi, ni mara ngapi watoto wa kihindi walinikimbilia kwa tabasamu huku wakinenena "hi, hi" kama tulivyo wakimbilia wazungu watalii walipopitia vijijini mwetu nyakati hizo? Tazama jinsi Waafrika Wakenya wanavyoteswa na hata kuuliwa katika nchi za Uarabuni hasa Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemeni, na Dubai. Jaribu kutafuta pasi ya kutembelea Israeli na utapatwa na mgutuko wa mshangao usiamini. Inveliwa mzungu aliekuwa mgonjwa hangelitolewa kutoka kwa ndege hio. Ni kwa sababu Wafrika wameshindwa kijitawala wengwe huku wakipora mali ya umma huku wenzao wakifa nkwa njaa na magonjwa yanayoweza kutubiwa na kuepukwa.
@xG kwani umekuwa daktari ama ni mucene mingi!Unless wewe ni those RNs wa majuu wenye hunjifanya they gat cash nawanakuwanga wamesota mbaya mbaya.Anyway we wish the lady the best.One day African healthcare system will b very good.Every country starts somewhere n kenya wr doing very good if u compare with many african countries or south america countries.
Wangare should have had her pain controlled before boarding and putting a straight face( faking it till you make it) when in extreme pain does help too. That said it is very sad to note Kenya can not treat Osteomyelitis 50 years after independence.