The Kiambu County Government has announced plans to dispose of unclaimed bodies currently at Thika Level 5 Hospital.
In a notice published in Monday’s newspapers, the county revealed that 81 unclaimed bodies are at the hospital’s General Kago Road Funeral Home, awaiting collection.
“Under the Public Health Act Cap 242 (Subsidiary: Public Health (Public Mortuary) Rules, 1991) (2), we urge members of the public to identify and collect these bodies within 14 days from today,” the notice states.
“If this is not done, Thika Level 5 Hospital will seek court permission to dispose of the unclaimed bodies.”
Nineteen of the bodies were admitted to the hospital, with the earliest dating back to September 2021 and the most recent from April 2024.
According to the notice, the majority of the unclaimed bodies are male. These individuals died in either the casualty wards or the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). One body came from the Outpatient Department (OPD), while another was transferred from another location.
The county also noted that 61 of the unclaimed bodies originated from various police stations. The earliest admission from these stations was in August 2023, and the latest was in April 2024.
Most of these bodies are African males and unknown infants, with some being females. They were brought to the hospital from multiple police stations, including Thika, Ruiru, Kirwara, Ngati, Juja, Makongeni, Gatong’ora, Weitethie, Ndithini, Theta, Gatundu North, Gatanga, Ngoliba, Makuyu, Kenol, Ngoingwa, Kiandutu, Ol Donyo Sabuk, Ithanga, and Kimuchu.
Kiambu County is following the example of Nairobi County, which has been addressing a similar issue since August, with numerous unclaimed bodies at the Nairobi Funeral Home (formerly City Mortuary).
On October 6, the Nairobi County government encouraged individuals who have lost touch with family members or are unsure of their whereabouts to visit the funeral home to check if their relatives are among the unclaimed bodies.
This call comes amid a significant capacity crisis at the facility, which is currently housing over 600 bodies, well beyond its capacity of 184.
“The funeral home has exceeded its capacity, making it essential for the public to identify their deceased relatives to create more space. Nairobi City County is also pursuing court approval to dispose of unclaimed bodies,” the statement noted.
According to the Public Health Act Cap 242, bodies must be held for at least three months before disposal can be ordered by the court. Additionally, the law requires a 14-day public notice before any further action can be taken.
