Sad: 239 bodies of unclaimed children to be disposed by KNH
By Hilary KimuyuKenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has announced the disposal of unclaimed bodies at its facility if their relatives fail to identify them in the next seven days.
According to the notice, out of the 253 unclaimed bodies that were announced, 239 were children who are likely to be buried in mass graves if the loved ones will not identify them in the coming days.
Through a gazette notice, KNH stated that it intends to seek court permission to dispose of them within seven days.
“Interested public is 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 notice read.
The hospital said it is only acting in compliance with Public Health Act Cap 242 Subsidiary legislation Public Health Public Mortuaries rules, 1991.
According to a list released by KNH, children are the most affected group by this seemingly growing problem.
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Many die at the hospital every month, but their bodies are never claimed.
Among the children are five sets of twins and a set of quadruplets. A fourth quadruplet’s body is also lying at the morgue.
The management at KNH noted that the bodies of 13 unidentified adults are also lying at its farewell home.
They include 11 male and two female bodies. The body of a man identified as Cheptale Aruwalo Nalel was also listed among them.
Cheptalel’s body is lying at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
The hospital said a list of the names is available at the KNH Farewell Home and can also be accessed through the institution’s website.
This is not the first time the hospital has moved to dispose of unclaimed bodies.
In September, KNH disposed of 169 unclaimed bodies at the city mortuary and 24 at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
The causes of death ranged from abortion and miscarriage to critical illness.
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