19 unclaimed bodies disposed off from Isiolo hospital mortuary to ease congestion

Nineteen unclaimed bodies were Saturday disposed off from the Isiolo Referral Hospital Mortuary to ease congestion and reduce cost of operations at the facility.

The facility had accumulated 25 bodies against its capacity of 16 bodies leading to congestion and increased cost of operations.

Three of the disposed bodies had been there for the last six months while the rest have been there for the last two months.

According to the public health officer in charge of the hospital George Gitonga, the move was meant to decongest the recently renovated  facility.

“Keeping bodies for that long had significantly increased the cost of operations due to usage of electricity and preservation chemicals, while the foul stench from the bodies was making the area uncomfortable for the morgue attendants and those who come to collect other bodies for burial,” said Mr. Gitonga.

He noted that the Public Health Act Cap 242 allows the hospital management to dispose off bodies that remain unclaimed for more than 14 days but the management has to first seek a court order before such a decision.

Gitonga said that the disposal process would take place after every two months adding that the management is considering offering unclaimed bodies to universities for their studies instead of dumping them off.

He further urged members of public to always visit mortuaries in search of missing people if they don’t find them even in police cells.

The bodies are usually disposed off by burying them in a common mass grave.