Shock and disbelief swept through Kericho County after a 32-year-old man who had been declared dead suddenly woke up inside a mortuary, only to die later on his way to another hospital.
The man, Peter Kiplangat Kigen, collapsed at his home and was rushed to Kapkatet Hospital. Doctors there said he had died, and his body was quickly taken to the mortuary.
When mortuary attendants began preparing his body for embalming, one of them made a cut on his right leg to inject formalin. To everyone’s shock, Kigen cried out in pain and moved. Staff immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed him back to the casualty ward.
Witnesses described scenes of confusion as hospital workers and family members realized Kigen was still alive. Relatives who had already started mourning were stunned by the news. For a short while, there was hope that he would recover.
He was later placed in an ambulance to be transferred to Kericho County Referral Hospital for more treatment. Sadly, he died before he arrived.
The story quickly spread across Kenya and international media, drawing attention to the hospital’s mistake. Kigen’s family said they were heartbroken and blamed the hospital for not confirming his condition properly before moving him to the mortuary.
Health experts say such cases are rare but point out that hospitals must take extra care when confirming deaths. They warn that proper checks are critical to avoid errors that cause pain to families and damage trust in the health system.
Kigen’s case has now sparked calls for better training and stricter rules in hospitals across Kenya to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
