A Nairobi court has ruled against the unlawful detention of bodies by hospitals over unpaid medical bills, setting a significant precedent for Kenyans. This follows a case where a hospital held the body of a deceased woman for **two months** over a **Ksh3 million** bill.

• The ruling by Justice Nixon Sifuna declared such actions as unlawful and unconstitutional, emphasizing that bodies cannot be held as security for debt.
• The case involved **two sons** petitioning for the release of their mother's body, who passed away on **August 2** after incurring a **Ksh3.3 million** bill, plus **Ksh2,000** daily mortuary charges.
• The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) had also previously stated that hospitals have no legal right to detain bodies over pending bills, advocating for alternative recovery means.