Hospital Issues 14-Day Ultimatum to Kenyans

Narok County Referral Hospital has issued a 14-day ultimatum to relatives of nine bodies that are lying uncollected at the hospital’s farewell home.
In a public notice issued on Sunday, August 24, the hospital stated that the bodies will be disposed of if they remain unclaimed, in accordance with the Public Health Act, Cap 242, and the Public Health (Public Mortuaries) Rules, 1991.
The hospital, however, noted that it will seek authorisation from the court before it makes the disposal.
The hospital has further urged families seeking more details about the bodies to contact the public health office at the referral hospital.
“The general public is hereby notified of Nine (9) unclaimed bodies lying at the Farewell Home. Relatives are requested to identify and collect the bodies within fourteen (14) days from the date hereof,” the notice read.
Under the Public Health Act (Cap 242), nobody can remain in a mortuary for more than 10 days without being claimed. The disposal of the bodies iscritical in the management of space in mortuaries.
If a body is unclaimed for 21 days, authorities are required to obtain a court order for disposal, following a 14-day public notice period to locate the next of kin.
Typically, unclaimed bodies are buried in public cemeteries or mass graves, often without any funeral rites, to manage space in mortuaries.
The announcement comes days after the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), in a statement on Wednesday, May 3, said thatit will dispose of  124 bodieslying unclaimed at its farewell home.
According to the notice, most of the bodies, 100, belong to children, while the rest, 24 bodies, belong to adults.
“Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of a number of unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home,” the hospital said.
“Pursuant to the 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 7 days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them,” KNH stated.