General News of Tuesday, 9 April 2002

Source: gna

Unclaimed bodies congest 37 Military Hospital mortuary

One hundred and thirty two dead bodies, including 109 babies, deposited at the 37 Military Hospital mortuary since November 2000 have neither been identified nor claimed.
This has created a serious congestion in the mortuary, resulting in frequent breakdowns of the fridges.
A release issued from the Armed Forces Public Relations Directorate, signed by Lt.-Col E. W. K. Nibo, Director of Public Relations, gave the bereaved families one month to identify and claim the bodies otherwise they would be given a mass burial.
It stated: "If these bodies are not identified and claimed within one month from the date of the announcement, the hospital under these circumstances, will have no other choice than to give them a mass burial."
The Hospital authorities appealed for the maximum co-operation from the general public.