The management of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a public notice regarding the disposal of 262 unclaimed bodies currently held at its Farewell Home.
In the notice, the hospital urged members of the public to identify and collect the bodies within seven days. Failure to do so would result in the hospital seeking court authorization to dispose of them.
“Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of a number of unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home. 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 seven days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them,” the management stated.
The Public Health Act (Cap 242) outlines clear procedures for handling unclaimed bodies. According to the law, no body should remain in a mortuary for more than 10 days without being claimed. If unclaimed for 21 days, authorities must issue a 14-day public notice to locate the next of kin before seeking a court order for disposal.
Unclaimed bodies are typically interred in public cemeteries or mass graves without traditional burial rites. This measure helps manage limited mortuary space while complying with legal and health regulations.
