Isiolo County morgue reopens after eight-month closure for renovations

The Isiolo County Teaching and Referral Hospital (ICTRH) morgue has reopened after eight months of renovation aimed at modernising its body preservation facilities.

Closed in March for critical upgrades to outdated equipment, the morgue is now prepared to deliver enhanced services to the community.

Prior to its closure, the facility could accommodate only 12 bodies, but it often exceeded this capacity, holding as many as 33 unclaimed bodies at one time.

The overflow was due to the facility’s role in preserving bodies from road accidents, bandit and terrorist attacks, and natural deaths, including stillbirths.

In a report to the Senate Health Committee on the facility's condition, County Secretary Dade Boru highlighted the strain on services saying, "Over the years, with the growth of the population, the facility has been handling bodies beyond its capacity, creating the need to expand it to handle more bodies and overhaul the existing cooling system,” Boru said.

To address this, the administration led by Governor Abdi Guyo opted to build a separate, standalone morgue, leaving the original facility to serve the referral hospital. Additionally, the county has constructed an accident and emergency unit to alleviate congestion and expand capacity at the referral centre.

KEMSA deal

The county also secured a supply agreement with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to ensure a consistent provision of medications and essentials for the hospital and surrounding facilities.

A view of the entrance to the Isiolo County Teaching and Referral Hospital. (Photo: Handout)

Chief Officer of Medical Services, Abdirahman Mohamed, outlined the challenges encountered during the project.

He notes that the initial tendering process was disrupted when the first round of bids was rejected due to inflated costs, forcing a restart. Eventually, the health department awarded the contract to Achilles in the second round, allowing the project to proceed.

Additional delays surfaced as the contractor faced shipping challenges in sourcing new equipment from Europe, extending the completion timeline and leaving many Isiolo residents to seek alternative morgue services in Meru County.

Abdirahman expressed his gratitude for the community’s patience, saying, “We are deeply sorry to the residents of Isiolo who have had to transport their loved ones’ bodies to Meru. This was not our intention but rather a consequence of complex tendering processes.”

A view of the outside of the Isiolo County Teaching and Referral Hospital (ICTRH) morgue. (Photo: Maureen Kinyanjui)

In addressing criticisms, Abdirahman urged those politicising the issue to consider its impact on the community. He reaffirmed that Governor Abdi remains committed to resolving inherited challenges in healthcare and other sectors.

Mohamed also called for better coordination with law enforcement regarding the transport of bodies, particularly decomposed remains from crime scenes, which are often brought to the morgue without prior notice, resulting in disputes when bodies are left at the entrance.

He emphasised the need for a formal agreement between law enforcement and morgue staff to ensure that the handling of the deceased meets community standards. Mohamed welcomed constructive feedback, encouraging it to be focused on genuine improvements for the public.

"The reopening of the ICTRH morgue represents a vital step in restoring essential services for the residents of Isiolo," he said.