This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, hundreds of Kenyans, including cancer patients, are stuck in India, desperately trying to secure flights back home.
Among them is Daniel Mbugua, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in New Delhi and underwent six months of treatment. He was discharged in April but has been unable to return to Kenya due to the lockdown and grounded flights.
"The flight became live on the Kenya Airways website on Wednesday night. I tried booking from then and even told my family back home to try and book me a ticket, but they were unsuccessful," Mbugua said.
Wallace Kimani, another Kenyan cancer patient, also arrived in India in January for treatment and was declared cancer-free in April. However, he was unable to get a plane home and has been staying in a guest house, paying Sh2,000 per day.
India has been the preferred destination for many Kenyans seeking medical treatment, but the COVID-19 pandemic has erased their hopes of returning home. The country has reported over 410,000 confirmed cases and over 13,000 deaths.
Repatriation flights have been few and far between, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arranging only two flights from Mumbai to Nairobi so far. The passengers were required to pay between Sh67,500 for an economy class ticket and Sh95,000 for a business one.
As Mbugua and Kimani's stories highlight, the struggle to return home is not just about the cost of flights but also the uncertainty and desperation that comes with being stuck in a foreign country.
Published on June 23, 2020, in The Standard.
