Kozhikode MCH mortuary seeks extra facility to store bodies of cyclone victims
Kozhikode: The lack of facilities and space at the mortuary is forcing the Kozhikode Government Medical College hospital authority to ask the Government to find an alternative to store the dead bodies coming to the hospital on a daily basis after the Ockhi cyclone calamity. In addition to this, hundreds of family members of these dead are waiting outside the hospital to identify the body causing further problems. “A total of 19 bodies came to the hospital in the last three days, and we were able to accommodate these bodies with the existing facilities. But we will face a crisis if more bodies come. The only left option for the authorities will be to send these bodies to the nearby hospitals”, said hospital development authority member Kannan N.
The hospital has a total of 100 spaces to store dead bodies, of which less than 60 are in a condition to be used and almost all have been occupied. The lack of a proper system and procedures in place is what compounds the problem. “We have been pointing out the lack of facilities at the mortuary for a long time, but have not been heard. It is when faced with a crisis, that authorities think about such lack of facilities. The hospital even does not have sufficient body bags, which is the reason why the district administration had to bring more body bags for the dead bodies brought to the hospital by the Indian Coastal department, Marine Enforcement wing and the Coastal security police, who all are in charge of recovering bodies from the sea”, he added.
Kozhikode Beach Hospital, Koyilandy Taluk hospital, Vadakara Taluk, Tirur district hospital and Thiroorangadi hospital have been directed to store the bodies coming after the Ockhi incident here. The District administration after getting complaints from the medical college hospital has decided to distribute stretchers and body bags to the hospital and other hospitals that demand them. “More bodies are expected to come in the coming days and hence the administration is making facilities available to accommodate these bodies, till they are identified and handed over to their respective families”, said District Collector UV Jose.
