Kenya’s health sector is once again facing questions after a mortician, Ann Mwangangi, shared her frustrations about the conditions faced by those who work in morgues.
Her message has brought into focus a group of professionals who rarely get public attention yet play an important role during moments of grief when families lose loved ones.
In a video that quickly spread online, Ann explained how morticians are among the lowest paid workers in the country despite the sensitive work they do.
She described how their daily duties involve preparing bodies for burial, ensuring dignity for the deceased, and giving comfort to families, all while enduring emotional pressure and exposure to health risks.
She argued that this job requires dedication and courage, yet the reward is so little that many morticians struggle to provide for themselves and their families.
Her words have come at a time when health workers across Kenya are expressing dissatisfaction with their conditions. In recent months, there have been strikes by nurses, clinical officers, and doctors over delayed salaries and poor facilities.
Morticians, however, are often forgotten in these wider conversations, which makes Ann’s statement stand out even more. She reminded Kenyans that morgue workers are not just handling bodies but also carrying the pain of families who expect nothing less than professionalism during their darkest moments.
Ann also criticized the political class, pointing out that leaders spend time fighting for higher allowances and big offices while the people handling some of the country’s hardest realities remain neglected.
She stressed that morticians deserve respect and recognition just like other health workers, because without them, many families would struggle to give their loved ones a proper farewell.
Her message has sparked discussions online, with many Kenyans agreeing that morticians should not be left behind in the fight for better pay and conditions. Some linked her frustrations to the larger failures of the health system, noting that leadership under Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has not done enough to address the plight of workers at different levels.
Others challenged county governments to play their role in ensuring morgue workers are treated as essential frontline staff.
The wider debate raises a question that remains unanswered: will those in authority finally take steps to improve the welfare of morticians, or will they continue working silently in poor conditions while the nation looks away? Ann’s words have made it clear that this group of professionals wants to be heard, and Kenyans are beginning to pay attention.
