Most of them children: KNH to dispose of 260 unclaimed bodies
In a public notice released on Tuesday, the hospital urged families who may have lost contact with loved ones or are uncertain of their whereabouts to visit the Farewell Home and confirm if their relatives are among the deceased.
Kenyatta National Hospital has announced it will dispose of 260 unclaimed bodies, most of them children, if they are not collected within seven days.
In a public notice released on Tuesday, the hospital urged families who may have lost contact with loved ones or are uncertain of their whereabouts to visit the Farewell Home and confirm if their relatives are among the deceased.
The hospital said the unclaimed bodies include infants and adults, with identification details such as gender and tag numbers listed to assist in recognition.
If no one comes forward within the next week, KNH will seek legal permission to dispose of the bodies under the Public Health Act Cap 242 and the Public Mortuaries Rules of 1991.
"Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of several 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 requested to identify and collect the bodies within 7 days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose them," the statement read.
According to the Public Health guidelines, bodies should not remain in a mortuary for more than 10 days.
If they remain unclaimed for 21 days, the hospital is allowed to dispose of them after securing a court order and issuing a 14-day public notice.
This notice follows another announcement just a week earlier, when the hospital revealed it would dispose of 124 other unclaimed bodies that had been held at the Farewell Home.
Health officials say the growing number of unclaimed bodies in public hospitals continues to strain morgue space and resources.
Unclaimed bodies are often buried in public cemeteries or mass graves, without traditional rites.
In previous years, Kenyatta National Hospital and City Mortuary have disposed of thousands of such cases.
Between 2003 and 2006, KNH alone buried about 3,000 unclaimed bodies, while City Mortuary handled 2,500 over the same period.
In 2006 alone, more than 1,500 unclaimed bodies were handled in just five months, with losses in mortuary fees during that time estimated at nearly Sh5 million.
The current trend remains a concern for hospital administrators, who are appealing to families to check in with the hospital and provide closure for their loved ones.
