Ikenna Obianeri
Management of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka, Anambra State, has announced plans to commence the evacuation, disposal and mass burial of corpses abandoned at its mortuary since 2014.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Henrietta Agbai, it was noted that the exercise would commence in July 2024.
The three-paragraph statement was issued on behalf of the Chief Medical Director of the institution, Dr Josephat Akabuike, and the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr Emmanuel Mba.
Agbai noted that the decision followed the approval granted for the action by the state government.
She stated, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the disposal of abandoned corpses at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Coouth Amaku-Awka.
“To this end, the management wishes to inform the general public that COOUTH Amaku-Awka intends to conduct mass burials of the abandoned corpses in its mortuary from 2014 to December 2023. “Therefore, those whose relatives are missing should visit the hospital’s mortuary for possible identification and collection of such corpses within one month of this publication.”
PUNCH Healthwise reports that the COOUTH is located at the centre of Awka and is usually the first port of call during health emergencies, especially in cases of road accidents, gunshot injuries and critical situations, among others.
It was gathered that most of the victims of these health emergencies do not always make it, and the corpses are usually moved to the hospital’s mortuary.
The development, it was learnt, resulted in the hospital’s mortuary being overloaded with corpses, most of whom are unidentified, as far back as 2014.
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