Embu to give 50% waiver of bills for detained bodies

The Embu Level 5 Hospital mortuary is full to capacity and swift action must be taken to fix the problem, county secretary has said. 

Jason Nyaga said many residents of neighbouring Kirinyaga and Kitui counties flock to Embu for health services, hence causing the congestion.

He urged Governor Martin Wambora to consider expanding the mortuary. 

"I thank the mortuary attendants at Embu Level 5 Hospital for the wonderful job they are doing there. However, the mortuary is full and this is because we are serving other counties — Kitui and Kirinyaga. Please, Governor, help us to expand the mortuary," Nyaga said.

Wambora promised to expand the facility but added that many bodies were uncollected because the bereaved had failed to settle hospital bills. He also blamed the problem on the doctors strike in neighbouring counties. 

The county chief ordered the hospital's management to release all the uncollected bodies at a 50 per cent waiver. "Let the bodies be collected so they can have decent and honourable sendoffs," he said. 

He said his administration will invest in a modernised health information system for smooth running of the hospital. 

(Edited by F'Orieny)

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