Nakuru builds its biggest mortuary in Naivasha at Sh35 million

Nakuru County Health Executive Gichuki Kariuki (2nd left) and Health Chief Officer Samuel King’ori during a tour of the site of the Sh35 million modern mortuary at the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital. Mortuaries in public hospitals in Nakuru County are being refurbished. 

Photo credit: Courtesy

What you need to know:

  • Naivasha’s current facility has a capacity for 35 bodies yet the sub-county is the most densely populated of Nakuru’s 11 sub-counties.
  • While Nakuru has many private mortuaries, there are no private mortuaries in Naivasha and Gilgil sub-counties and this has put pressure on public morgues in the two sub-counties. 

Nakuru County is building its biggest mortuary in Naivasha as part of plans to equip the cosmopolitan town with more facilities.

Naivasha’s current facility has a capacity for 35 bodies yet the sub-county is the most densely populated of Nakuru’s 11 sub-counties.

The lake city town that leads in tourism, horticulture and floriculture has a population of 355,383 as per the 2019 census report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

Naivasha is positioning itself as the county’s next industrial hub following the opening of the Inland Container Depot at Maai Mahiu Industrial Park.

In addition, the completion of the Standard Gauge Railway is expected to spur economic activities in the town.

County Health Chief Officer Samuel King'ori said the modern morgue at Naivasha Sub-County Hospital, which is 90 per cent complete, will cost Sh35 million.

"It will be the biggest in Nakuru and will have a capacity of about 118. The construction is almost complete and the county is awaiting shipment of equipment from abroad," Mr King'ori said without specifying the date of arrival.

"If the equipment arrives today, it won't take more than a week to hand over the facility to the management of the hospital."

Necessity

The facility is a necessity because Nakuru has many private mortuaries but there are no private mortuaries in Naivasha and Gilgil sub-counties and this has put pressure on public morgues in the two areas.

In addition, victims of accidents along Naivasha-Nairobi and Maai Mahiu–Narok highways are taken to Naivasha. 

The small facility in the town has also been serving residents of Kinoo in the neighbouring Kiambu and Nyandarua counties.

Murder cases have increased in parts of Nyandarua including Engineer and Naivasha town and its environs are prone to macabre killings, hence cases of delayed identification and collection of bodies.

The official noted that most of the bodies are unclaimed as they are collected by police.

"The mortuary was constructed to accommodate 12 bodies but most of the time it has up to 60 bodies, stretching ageing facilities and the lean workforce more than five times over," added Mr King'ori.

Key projects

This facility is one of the four projects proposed in the critical health sector, which entail construction of facilities and the refurbishment of existing ones.

In Maai Mahiu, the health centre will be upgraded to a level four hospital at Sh150 million set aside this financial year.

The hospital, which will serve the industrial hub, will have specialised treatment, additional staff and modern equipment.

"With the upcoming industrial park and the expansion of the container depot, there will be an influx of people to the area and the demand for health services will surge. That is why  Governor Lee Kinyanjui’s administration has decided to upgrade Maai Mahiu health centre," said Mr King'ori.

According to the Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plan for Naivasha Town for 2014-2034, the health projects that will cost an estimated Sh266 million will be funded and implemented by private investors working  with county and national governments.

The report aimed at addressing challenges in Naivasha town was unanimously adopted by the Nakuru County Assembly on Tuesday.

In addition, KenGen is funding the ongoing upgrading of Naivasha Sub-county Hospital to the tune of Sh300 million.