Police hospital threatens mass burial over congested mortuary

The Police Hospital in Accra has served notice to undertake a mass burial of “some unclaimed and unidentified bodies to decongest the hospital mortuary.”

The exercise is due in two weeks, according to a statement by the hospital authorities.

The statement signed by DSP Yaw Nketia-Yeboah, head of Public Relations at the hospital, said “Generally, bodies are not being released for Public burials and funerals due to the ban on public gatherings. Nonetheless, families concerned who sign an undertaking to comply with the existing protocol and adhere to do a private burial are permitted to come for their bodies for the private burial.

“Such gathering should not be more than twenty-five (25) people assembling and must also respect the existing protocol including the social distancing. Such bodies are only to be taken in a casket and buried without any delays,” the statement added.

Sources at the hospital told Graphic Online that about 100 bodies are involved and would be buried in a mass grave should families fail to collect them for burial.

As part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, President Akufo-Addo banned all public gatherings, including funerals which he reduced to no more than 25 for private funerals.

The measure has seen families postpone indefinitely, funerals of loved ones, leading to the congestion of mortuaries in many places.