Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a seven-day notice urging the public to collect 480 unclaimed bodies currently held at the hospital’s morgue.
Through a notice on March 23, the facility stated that failure to claim the bodies would lead the hospital to seek a court order to dispose of them.
“Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of a number of unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home. Members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within 7 days; failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them,” the notice read.
Of the 480 bodies, 102 are adults — 85 males and 17 females — while 378 are children.
The management of public mortuaries in Kenya is guided by the Public Health (Public Mortuaries) Rules, 1991, under Cap 242. The law states that dead bodies must not be kept in a public mortuary for more than ten days. If uncollected, a daily penalty of Ksh100 applies.
In cases where bodies remain unclaimed beyond the allowed period, hospitals can seek court authorization for disposal after issuing public notice. If legal issues prevent removal within ten days, the next of kin must notify the Medical Officer of Health in writing, who will then provide guidance.
This regulation applies to public mortuaries including KNH’s Farewell Home, Nairobi Funeral Home, Mbagathi Hospital Mortuary, and Kenyatta Memorial Funeral Home (KUTRRH), among others.
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