Dennis Okari opens up about daughter’s ICU ordeal and mounting medical bills
Veteran journalist Dennis Okari has shared a deeply personal account of his daughter Ivanna’s past critical illness, shedding light on the emotional and financial challenges faced by many Kenyans seeking medical care.
Speaking candidly to a local radio station on Friday, May 16, 2025, Okari recounted the harrowing experience when his daughter was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a coma, and within a week, while he was still trying to understand her condition, he was confronted with substantial medical bills amounting to several million shillings.
Okari went on to say that the hospital demanded that he pay half of the amount immediately or face unspecified consequences.
“My daughter was unwell, admitted to the ICU and in a coma. Barely a week am trying to figure out what was going on, and I am slapped with a medical bill not in the few thousands; it is a couple of millions. The hospital told me I had to pay half immediately, or else,” Okari recounted.
He highlighted that, despite these financial pressures, he was not provided with clear information about her diagnosis, a situation he believes reflects the experiences of many Kenyans navigating the healthcare system.
“You are under pressure to understand what is going on, and you are being pushed for money to pay, and at the end of the day, you are actually not told what is wrong with the patient, so you have to leave with your loved ones without knowing what is wrong with them, and that is how it is for so many Kenyans in this country when going to the hospitals,” he added.
Okari on money upfront
The investigative journalist further highlighted a distressing aspect of Kenya’s healthcare system, noting that during medical emergencies, patients are often first asked about insurance coverage or payment before receiving treatment. He described this as a harsh reality many Kenyans face when seeking urgent medical care.
“The first thing you are being asked before treatment is, Where is the cover?’ And where is the money? And you are dealing with an emergency case. Sadly, that’s the harsh reality of our healthcare system,” he stated.
Okari’s personal account underscores the broader issue of healthcare affordability in Kenya, where rising medical costs and limited insurance coverage continue to pose significant challenges for many citizens.
Ivanna’s illness
In 2019, Okari’s daughter Ivanna was diagnosed with Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a rare autoimmune disease that led to her sudden deterioration. She lost the ability to walk, talk, and eat, eventually slipping into a coma that necessitated her admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a month on life support.
