Hospital Forced To Release Deceased'S Body After Ombudsman Intervention
img_tag = ("A Kenyan family's nightmare of fighting for their loved one's body has finally ended after the Office of the Ombudsman stepped in to force Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital to release remains that had been held for months.
The intervention comes after desperate family members approached Ombudsman Florence Kajuju's office when Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in Mombasa refused to release their relative's body despite completing all required procedures. The hospital had been holding the deceased for an extended period, causing immense emotional and financial strain on the grieving family who were unable to give their loved one a proper burial.
This case highlights a growing problem across Kenya's public hospitals where families are trapped in bureaucratic nightmares, sometimes paying morgue fees that can run into tens of thousands of shillings while battling endless paperwork. Many families, especially those from upcountry who travel to Mombasa for specialized treatment, find themselves stranded without the connections or resources to navigate the system when tragedy strikes.
The situation becomes even more devastating for ordinary Kenyans who may have already exhausted their savings and borrowed heavily for medical treatment, only to face additional costs and delays when trying to bring their loved ones home for burial. Some families resort to selling property or launching M-Pesa fundraising drives just to cover mounting morgue fees while fighting for the release of bodies.
Coast General, like many public hospitals, has faced criticism over its handling of deceased patients' remains, with some families reporting being asked for unofficial payments or facing unexplained delays. The hospital serves a large population from across the Coast region, making these delays particularly painful for families who must stay away from home and work while resolving the matter.
The Ombudsman's successful intervention shows that families do have recourse when public institutions fail them, but it raises serious questions about why such interventions are necessary in the first place. Should grieving families really have to fight government offices just to bury their loved ones with dignity?