Auctioneers stormed Seventh Avenue Hospital, forcibly removing patients from their beds and seizing medical equipment worth millions of shillings. The operation was carried out on the back of a court order issued over rent arrears that the facility owed. However, the manner in which the order was executed has sparked outrage, with accusations of brutality and disregard for patient welfare.
The auctioneers, accompanied by hired goons and a contingent of police officers, descended on the hospital, removing essential items, including doors, blankets, cookers, and various medical equipment. According to eyewitnesses, the men dragged patients from their rooms, leaving them on the floors before making off with the hospital beds and other valuables.
One of the affected patients, a mother whose child is physically challenged and currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, recounted the traumatic experience. She described how the auctioneers yanked her daughter from the bed and placed her on a small plastic toilet before seizing her wheelchair. The mother, visibly distraught, expressed her helplessness as her pleas for mercy were ignored.
“They didn’t care that she was sick or that we are human beings. They were heartless and ruthless. With the police helping them, we could only obey their orders,” she said, echoing the sentiments of many who were present during the raid.
Another patient recalled the harrowing experience of being thrown from her bed onto the floor while nurses watched, powerless to intervene. “They had no mercy. They ripped the sheets from my bed, and one of the goons laughed as they tossed me aside like I was nothing,” she said, describing the chaos and lack of compassion exhibited by the auctioneers and their accomplices.
The hospital’s director, Dr. Chatambe Chesoni, expressed deep concern over the incident, highlighting the extensive damage caused by the auctioneers. According to Dr. Chesoni, the auctioneers left with hospital beds, monitors, oxygen tanks, food, cookers, drugs, and other critical equipment. He estimated the damages to be over Sh1.5 million, lamenting the violation of patient privacy and rights.
“What they did was a criminal invasion. They had no eviction order, and they left the patients traumatised,” Dr. Chesoni said. “Some have terminal illnesses and could easily have succumbed out of fear. They must be held accountable for that was illegal; I will not rest until justice is served.”
The auctioneers were enforcing a court order to recover months of rent arrears following a prolonged rent standoff between the hospital’s proprietor and the landlord, amounting to hundreds of thousands of shillings. However, Dr. Chesoni argued that he had not been served with any eviction order, questioning the legality of the auctioneers’ actions.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters, including human rights advocates who have called for an investigation into the actions of the auctioneers and police officers involved. The National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has vowed to look into the matter, emphasizing the need to protect vulnerable patients from such inhumane treatment.
This unfortunate event raises critical questions about the enforcement of court orders, especially in sensitive environments like hospitals. It underscores the need for a balanced approach that respects the rights and dignity of all parties involved, particularly those of patients who may already be grappling with severe health challenges. As the hospital seeks legal redress, the affected patients and their families are left to grapple with the traumatic memories of an ordeal that could have easily been avoided.
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