DNK International By Kennedy Epalat,Kocholya.
Kocholia Sub-County Hospital in Busia County is set to dispose off 14 unclaimed bodies in a move aimed at decongesting the Teso North Hospital mortuary.
Speaking to the press on Friday, Kocholia Hospital Administrator Evans Okedi said the bodies are all police cases that have remained unclaimed for more than a year, dating from between 2024 and 2026.
A public notice dated July 24 and signed by Teso North Sub-County Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Evans Sumbeiywo states that the notice has been copied to the County Director of Health, the Sub-County Medical Officer of Health, Officers Commanding the concerned police stations, and the mortuary in-charge.
According to the notice, the unidentified and unclaimed bodies have remained at the hospital mortuary for an extended period despite efforts by the hospital and investigating police stations to trace their relatives.
Okedi noted that this is the second time in two years that the hospital has issued a public notice seeking to dispose of unclaimed bodies.
“This is not the first time such a notice has been issued. It is the second disposal exercise in two years,” he said.
He explained that the decision follows concerns raised by the Auditor-General during the last financial year’s audit over overcrowding at the mortuary, recommending the lawful disposal of unclaimed bodies to ease congestion.
“The mortuary has a capacity of only 16 bodies, and the unclaimed bodies are putting significant pressure on the facility,” he said.
He added that after obtaining the necessary legal approvals, the 14 unclaimed bodies will be buried in a mass grave in Siaya County because Busia County does not have a designated public cemetery.
[DNK-International@July 31,2026]
