Coronavirus: Nigeria risks another epidemic over congested mutuaries on postponment of burials

This follow the inability if people to evacute their heads for burials thus leading to congestion at most mortuaries across the states.

The situation is made worse by the epileptic power supplies which has resulted in difficulties in preserving the corpes.

At the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) along Olusegun road, former Abak Rd, Uyo, our correspondent reports that stench of rotten corpses was the first thing that welcomes those who visit the hospital, either to receive treatment or see their loved ones.

For those using Idoro road axis close to where the mortuary is actually sited, the same thing is what they experience on daily basis which started shortly after the beginning of the total lockdown.

Our correspondent said as he was passing by close to the hospital on Tuesday, curiosity took a better part of him as a journalist, so he decided to observe from where the foul odour was emanating from.

According to him, on getting close to the mortuary he noticed the source was from there, so he decided to engage the mortician in charge in a brief chat.

Opting to speak on condition of anonymity, the mortician who is about 50 years old revealed that due to postponment of burials because of coronavirus those corpses due for burials which were not evacuated and new ones that are received almost on daily basis have caused the congestion of their facility resulting in taking improper care of the corpses.

Adding, “coupled with the epileptic power supply as the hospital doesn’t have endless resources to keep the corpses fresh that is why the place is stinging to high heavens and we don’t know when another epidemic will hit us if the lockdown is not lifted sooner than later”.

The man whose health is also at risk, appealed to government to lift the ban to enable owners of the “dead bodies” to evacuate them for burials, noting that the condition these bodies are being subjected to amount to desecrating the dead.

Our reporter also visited the office of the Chief medical director of the hospital, Dr. Ememabasi Bassey. But all entreaties adopted to persuade his protocol officers to allow access to the man fell deaf ears.

It would be recalled that a similar appeal to government of Akwa Ibom state to have a rethink on lifting the ban on burials at least for one day was first made by one Mrs. Akpan whose late husband was to be buried just a day after the total lockdown was clamped on the state.

Investigation has revealed that Mrs. Akpan had spent her last Kobo to prepare for the botch burial leaving her at present impecunious and it would not be out of place if government and spirited individuals could come to her aid to enable her bury her husband.