The County Government of Nakuru, through its Department of Health Services, has issued a public notice regarding the presence of thirteen unclaimed bodies at the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital Mortuary that have exceeded the legally allowed holding period.
According to the notice, the mortuary is currently holding thirteen decomposed bodies that have remained unclaimed for more than twenty-one days, contrary to provisions of the Public Health Act, Cap 242 Laws of Kenya. The law requires that bodies should not be retained in mortuaries beyond the stipulated period without lawful intervention.
In compliance with the law, the hospital has now issued a fresh twenty-one-day public notice, calling upon next of kin, relatives, or members of the public with relevant information to come forward and assist in the identification or collection of the bodies.
“The County Government of Nakuru, through the Department of Health Services, wishes to notify the general public and relevant authorities that Naivasha Sub-County Hospital Mortuary currently has thirteen decomposed and unclaimed bodies that have exceeded the legally allowed twenty-one days,” the notice stated.
Hospital authorities noted that the public notice is a legal requirement intended to give families adequate time to identify their loved ones before any further action is taken. Members of the public with missing relatives have been urged to visit the mortuary for assistance and possible identification.
The notice further appeals to anyone with information that could help trace the relatives of the deceased to come forward within the stipulated period. No further details regarding the identities of the bodies were disclosed in the notice.
Under the Public Health Act, hospitals are required to issue a public notification once the legally allowed period for holding bodies has lapsed. This process ensures transparency and allows families or concerned parties a final opportunity to claim the deceased before lawful disposal procedures are initiated.
Authorities did not specify the next course of action should the bodies remain unclaimed after the expiry of the notice period. However, the law provides guidance on the handling of unclaimed bodies once all reasonable efforts to trace relatives have been exhausted.
Cases of unclaimed bodies continue to pose challenges to public health facilities across the country, particularly in major referral and sub-county hospitals. Mortuaries are often strained by limited storage capacity, making timely identification and collection of bodies a critical issue for health administrators.
The Nakuru County Government emphasized that the notice is not punitive but humanitarian in nature, aimed at reconnecting families with missing loved ones and ensuring that the deceased are handled in a dignified and lawful manner.
Members of the public who may have lost contact with relatives or who have information that could assist in identification have been advised to visit the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital Mortuary during the notice period for guidance and support.
The county government reiterated its commitment to complying with existing laws and public health regulations while urging cooperation from the public to help resolve the matter within the legally prescribed timeframe.
