This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
Naivasha Sub-County Hospital is facing a capacity crisis, with 20 unclaimed bodies set to be disposed of in a public cemetery due to lack of space.
According to a notice issued by the hospital, the bodies have been at the mortuary for over four months, affecting services at the facility.
The hospital has run out of cemetery land, and the bodies are expected to be disposed of at Longonot cemetery in the outskirts of Naivasha town.
Naivasha Sub-county hospital Superintendent Dr Angeline Ithondeka explained that the current mortuary had a capacity of 18 bodies, adding that the unclaimed bodies had overstretched their services.
“This is a normal exercise where we dispose bodies which have not been claimed after four months in a public cemetery,” Dr Ithondeka said.
She noted that the construction of a new mortuary in the hospital was in the final phase, which would address the current challenges.
The new mortuary, fully funded by the County government, would have a capacity of 68 bodies.
“The new mortuary which is in the final stages will help decongest the current one as it has a bigger capacity of 68 bodies,” Dr Ithondeka said.
