Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a seven-day public notice calling on families to identify and collect 124 unclaimed bodies currently lying at its Farewell Home. In a statement released on Tuesday, the hospital warned that if the bodies are not claimed within the stipulated period, it will seek court orders to dispose of them.
“KNH is in possession of a number of unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home,” read the statement. “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 hospital has made available a list that includes the gender and tag numbers of the deceased to assist in the identification process. The unclaimed remains include both adults and infants, with some having been in the mortuary for extended periods.
Under the Public Health Act, any person who fails to collect a body from a public mortuary within 10 days is liable to a penalty of KSh100 per day. If a body remains unclaimed for 21 days, the hospital is permitted to dispose of it upon securing a court order and issuing a 14-day public notice.
KNH’s challenge mirrors a growing trend in public health facilities across Kenya. In April, Nakuru County issued a 21-day notice to dispose of 59 unclaimed bodies from two major hospitals. Similarly, in February, the Nairobi County government announced plans to dispose of 236 unclaimed bodies 218 at the City Mortuary and 18 at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital after they remained unclaimed for months.
The deceased were linked to various causes of death, including accidents, homicide, natural causes, drowning, and mob justice. As hospitals continue to struggle with congestion in mortuary facilities, authorities are urging the public to proactively identify and claim their deceased relatives.
KNH has appealed for swift public cooperation to ease the burden on its facilities and ensure respectful handling of the deceased.
