KNH to dispose 262 unclaimed bodies

Kenyatta National Hospital has announced that it will dispose of 262 unclaimed bodies if they are not collected in the next seven days.

In a statement on Tuesday, KNH requested the public to visit its Farewell Home and identify their kin before it seeks authority to dispose of the bodies.

“Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of a number of unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home. Pursuant to Public Health Act Cap 242 [Subsidiary legislation Public Health (Public Mortuaries) Rules, 1991], interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose them,” the statement reads.

Of the 262 unclaimed bodies, 16 belong to adults, 238 are babies and six are consented for disposal.

This comes a month after Nairobi City County called upon the public to identify 107 unclaimed bodies at the City Mortuary.

A statement from the County’s Health, Wellness and Nutrition sector, urged those who have lost contact with their loved ones or are unsure of their whereabouts to visit the Nairobi Funeral Home and verify if their relatives are among the unclaimed bodies currently lying there.

The county said the funeral home formerly City Mortuary, has exceeded its capacity, making it urgent for the public to identify the deceased.

This was with a view of freeing up space at the funeral home as the NCCG seeks leave of court to dispose of the unclaimed bodies.

“The public is urged to assist by identifying their loved ones, to alleviate the pressure being experienced at the funeral home,” the County said.

Citing the Public Health Act cap 242, the County stated that bodies must be stored for at least three months before leave of court can be obtained for their disposal.

“Following this period, a 14-day public notice is required before any further steps can be taken,” it explained.

The county's appeal came amid a severe capacity crisis at the facility, which at the time housed over 600 bodies, far exceeding its capacity of 184.