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370 babies, 102 adults: KNH issues seven-day ultimatum to collect unclaimed bodies
Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a public notice urging families to collect the 480 unclaimed bodies currently held at its Farewell Home.
In a notice published on Tuesday, the hospital has warned that the remains will be disposed of within seven days if they are not identified and claimed.
Among them are over 378 babies and 102 adults who are likely to be buried in mass graves if their loved ones do not identify them in the coming days.
KNH provided a list of names, genders, and tag names of the bodies, urging the public to identify the bodies soon.
KNH management urged relatives and guardians to promptly identify and collect the bodies to avoid their disposal in accordance with the law.
“Interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days. Failure to do so will result in the hospital seeking authority from the courts to dispose of them,” the notice stated.
The hospital said it is acting in compliance with Public Health Act Cap 242 Subsidiary legislation Public Health Public Mortuaries rules, 1991.
“Pursuant to Public Health Act Cap 242 [Subsidiary: Public health (Public mortuaries) Rules, 19911 (2). Interested 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.
According to the list released by KNH, children are the most affected group by this seemingly growing problem.
Many children die at the largest referral hospital in the country every month, but their bodies are never claimed.
The Public Health Act requires that an unclaimed body be removed from a mortuary within two weeks.
If not, it should be buried in a mass grave after public officers obtain permission from a court.
The hospital said a list of the names of the unclaimed bodies is available at the KNH Farewell Home and can also be accessed through the institution’s website.
The hospital has called on members of the public to identify and claim the bodies within the specified period.
“Failure to do so will compel the hospital to seek authority from the courts to dispose of them,” the notice stated.
Various hospitals across Nairobi County have continued to bear the burden of preserving unclaimed bodies in their facilities.
Cap 242 of the Public Health Act says an unclaimed body should be removed from a mortuary within two weeks, or it should be disposed of in a mass grave after public officers obtain the court's permission.
Before any disposal, hospitals must obtain court approval to ensure the process complies fully with legal requirements.
In certain cases, unclaimed bodies may be used for medical training and research, strictly in accordance with the legal provisions of the Anatomy Act (Cap. 249) and with authorisation from the Ministry of Health.
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