NAIROBI, Kenya, July 29-Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has defended the presence of people sleeping outside the Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital, saying they are not patients but relatives who accompany loved ones seeking treatment at the facility.Her response came after photos circulated on social media showing dozens of people lying on the ground outside the hospital at night, sparking public outrage and raising concerns over the welfare of patients and caregivers.In a statement on Wednesday, Kihika dismissed claims that the people photographed had been abandoned by the hospital, explaining that they were family members who had brought patients to the facility late at night.“These are NOT patients. They are relatives who bring patients late in the night. Once the patients are attended to and admitted, those from far wait for morning to be able to commute back home,” she said.The governor also referenced a similar controversy last year when a video showing a security guard attempting to disperse relatives sleeping within the hospital compound went viral.According to Kihika, the incident generated widespread criticism, with many Kenyans accusing the county government of being insensitive to families who had nowhere else to spend the night while waiting for their loved ones.“Last year, a video was trending where a guard was trying to ask such relatives to leave. It drew massive criticism on these streets. You were all up in arms raising a storm, we let them be,” she said.The governor’s remarks suggest the county opted to allow relatives to remain within the hospital grounds rather than forcibly remove them, citing the backlash that followed the previous incident.The viral images have nevertheless renewed debate over the need for hospitals to provide decent waiting or accommodation facilities for caregivers, particularly those who travel long distances and cannot afford alternative lodging.Public hospitals across Kenya frequently receive patients from neighbouring counties, forcing relatives to spend nights at hospital compounds as they wait for updates on admitted family members or prepare for the journey home once public transport resumes in the morning.