Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) has called on the public who might have lost their loved one to come forward and help in the identification of an unclaimed body at its mortuary.
The hospital CEO Ahmed Dagane in a public notice dated January 10 said the unclaimed and unknown body of the male adult has been lying at the funeral home for four months.
Dagane has requested the public to come out and view the body within 14 days failure to which it will be disposed.
“In reference to the Public Health Act Cap 242 laws of Kenya, notice is hereby given to the general public that the unknown male adult has overstayed at the hospital mortuary as an unclaimed body for the last four months and is due for disposal,” Dagane said.
“Hence members of the public who have lost a relative are hereby requested to come and view the body at the Kenyatta Memorial Funeral Home for identification within 14 days from January 10 to January 24 starting 8 am to 5 pm, failure of which this hospital will not make any further reference but take the necessary action.”
Various hospitals across the country have continued to bear the burden of preserving unclaimed bodies in their facilities.
Most of them are emergency victims rushed to the hospitals by good samaritans or accident victims whose bodies are taken to the morgues by the police who respond to the incidents.
In September last year, for instance, the Machakos government issued a notice on the plans to dispose of 31 unclaimed bodies lying at the Machakos Level 5 Hospital mortuary.
Health executive Daniel Yumbya said most of the bodies had been brought in by police from Athi River, Kyumbi, Machakos, Matuu, Yatta, Kathiani and Mbiuni.
In October, Kenyatta National Hospital issued a 14-day notice to the public to collect some 224 unclaimed bodies.