adminIn an interview, the District Medical Officer for Beitbridge, Dr Takaitei Kanongara, said progress on the construction of a new mortuary wing was stalled because of lack of funds.
“Work on the expansion of the mortuary has been stopped due to lack of funds. This has a negative effect on the facility’s cooling system as it constantly breaks down due to pressure from an increased number of unclaimed bodies that continue to pile up, especially during the rainy season when police bring in bodies of people who would have drowned while trying to cross illegally into South Africa,” said Dr Kanongara.
He said they conducted paupers’ burials occasionally with the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare to ease the load.
Recently, the hospital conducted pauper’s burials of four unclaimed bodies.
The Beitbridge District Hospital mortuary has a carrying capacity of six bodies at a given time, but due to the ever-increasing number of unclaimed bodies, the facility is forced to accommodate as much as 60 bodies, resulting in a strain on the compressor.
Some of the unclaimed bodies would be of border jumpers picked up by police in the bush along the Limpopo River after having been robbed and killed by organised criminal syndicates.
During the 2008 cholera outbreak that hit the border town, the mortuary had to be temporarily shut down due to an overwhelming number of bodies.
It is, however, envisaged that when complete, the new facility would be able to accommodate at least 22 bodies at a given time.
Dr Kanongara appealed to the Government and other well-wishers to assist with funds for the completion of the mortuary project.
He said plans to upgrade the mortuary had been on the cards for more than 10 years.
“At the moment we have a problem with our compressor which is under constant breakdown. This has forced us to conduct paupers’ burials to offload the mortuary.”
World Vision Zimbabwe once chipped in with $12 500 to acquire some of the equipment for the mortuary.
“What is now left is for us to put some fittings including the procurement of 16 trays and these should be made of stainless steel,” said Dr Kanongara.
“We also need to work on some structural adjustment to the building.”
Online Reporter