Kenyatta National Hospital has urged the public to identify and collect 260 unclaimed bodies within seven days, before they are disposed.

In a statement on Tuesday, KNH requested the public to visit its Farewell Home and identify their kin.

The hospital has stated that if the bodies are not claimed within the next seven days, it will seek court authorisation to dispose of them, in accordance with the Public Health Act Cap 242 and the Public Health (Public Mortuaries) Rules, 1991.

“Kenyatta National Hospital is in possession of several unclaimed bodies at its Farewell Home. Pursuant to Public Health Act Cap 242 [Subsidiary Legislation Public Health (Public Mortuaries)Rules,1991], interested members of the public are requested to identify and collect the bodies within 7 days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose them,” the statement reads. 

The list of unclaimed bodies includes deceased persons of various ages and genders, including infants and adults.

The list includes the deceased's gender and tag numbers to assist in identification. 

According to the Public Health Act 242 (Public Mortuaries), any person who keeps the dead in a public morgue for more than 10 days shall pay to the Medical Officer of Health a penalty of one hundred shillings for each day the body remains uncollected.

If a body remains unclaimed for 21 days, the hospital is allowed to dispose of it as long as they have court orders and have given a 14-day public notice.

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The notice comes a week after the hospital announced the disposal of 124 unclaimed bodies, still held at the Farewell Home.

The hospital further urged the public who may have lost contact with their loved ones or are unsure of their whereabouts to visit the Home and verify if their relatives are among the unclaimed bodies.

Unclaimed bodies are usually buried in public cemeteries or mass graves without traditional rites.