Ex hockey international Odera's body detained for three months
The body of former hockey international Julius “Wabez” Odera is still detained at Reale Hospital, Eldoret, three months after he passed on.
What you need to know:
- Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman Nashon Randiek has now appealed to the Ministry of Sports to help them clear the medical and mortuary bills so that the body can be released to the family
- The former defunct Kenya Breweries and Wazalendo hockey clubs player succumbed on June 1, this year at Reale Hospital following an unsuccessful second brain tumor surgery at the hospital
- Odera featured for the national team at 1987 Indira Gandhi Cup and the inaugural 1987 East and Central Championships in Arusha
The body of former hockey international Julius “Wabez” Odera is still detained at Reale Hospital, Eldoret, three months after he passed on.
Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman Nashon Randiek has now appealed to the Ministry of Sports to help them clear the medical and mortuary bills so that the body can be released to the family.
The bill now stands at an estimated Sh2.9 million.
The former defunct Kenya Breweries and Wazalendo hockey clubs player succumbed on June 1, this year at Reale Hospital following an unsuccessful second brain tumor surgery at the hospital.
The 57-year-old had been admitted at the hospital since January but the surgery that saw his medical bill accumulate to Sh4, 593, 121 by the time of his demise.
Odera, who handled the national women’s hockey team from 1988 to 1992, is survived with a wife Morphine Cindy and five children.
Randiek said while the National Hospital Insurance Fund covered Sh 761,000, the hospital waived Sh 270,000 with the doctor who performed the surgery, Sydney Rono, also waiving Sh339,000.
“The family through various fundraising activities raised Sh565,000 but they still fell short of Sh 2, 658,121,” Randiek stated, adding that the family is unable to pay the deficit while the mortuary fee continues to pile reaching Sh Sh100,000 by Thursday.
“His children are underage and his widow doesn’t have reasonable income that can help offset the bills. We have explained it to the hospital and pleaded with them to release the body to no avail. We now want the government to help," said Randiek.
Odera played for Kenya Breweries up to 1995 when alongside others players he formed Wazalendo Hockey Club.
Odera featured for the national team at 1987 Indira Gandhi Cup and the inaugural 1987 East and Central Championships in Arusha. He would later handle the national women’s hockey team from 1988 to 1992.
Randiek appealed to well-wishers to continue contributing to Odera’s medical fund and funeral expenses on paybill number 303030 account number 2043582472.
