Ministry assesses hospital mortuaries
NAMPA
WINDHOEK
The ministry of health and social services has commissioned an assessment to determine the functionality of all hospital-based mortuaries around the country.
This was announced by health minister Kalumbi Shangula on Friday during the 33rd Covid-19 public briefing.
He said the study would be completed soon.
The assessment comes after mortuaries across the country were overwhelmed during the months of June and July when the country experienced increased deaths due to Covid-19.
The high demand on mortuaries resulted in the ministry using mobile mortuaries, while the City of Windhoek cremated unclaimed bodies in the police mortuary to free up mortuary space.
This was exacerbated by the limited capacity of private undertakers to conduct burials timely, as well as a shortage of coffins at the time.
Shangula said since then mortuary space has been increased at several hospitals, including Windhoek Central Hospital, where two refrigerated containers with 32 cabins each were secured.
One refrigerated container with 25 shelves was delivered to Mariental state hospital by a private company, one refrigerated container with 45 cabins donated by a private company was delivered to the Okahandja state hospital, while another refrigerated truck with 45 shelves was sent to the Grootfontein state hospital.
Four containers with 16 shelves each were sent to Otjiwarongo, Gobabis, Keetmanshoop, Onandjokwe and Outapi and one refrigerated container with 16 shelves delivered to the Rehoboth hospital.
“The government appreciates the support received from the private sector and development cooperation partners who provided refrigerated containers to serve as additional mortuary space to accommodate human remains of those who succumbed to Covid-19,” Shangula said.
WINDHOEK
The ministry of health and social services has commissioned an assessment to determine the functionality of all hospital-based mortuaries around the country.
This was announced by health minister Kalumbi Shangula on Friday during the 33rd Covid-19 public briefing.
He said the study would be completed soon.
The assessment comes after mortuaries across the country were overwhelmed during the months of June and July when the country experienced increased deaths due to Covid-19.
The high demand on mortuaries resulted in the ministry using mobile mortuaries, while the City of Windhoek cremated unclaimed bodies in the police mortuary to free up mortuary space.
This was exacerbated by the limited capacity of private undertakers to conduct burials timely, as well as a shortage of coffins at the time.
Shangula said since then mortuary space has been increased at several hospitals, including Windhoek Central Hospital, where two refrigerated containers with 32 cabins each were secured.
One refrigerated container with 25 shelves was delivered to Mariental state hospital by a private company, one refrigerated container with 45 cabins donated by a private company was delivered to the Okahandja state hospital, while another refrigerated truck with 45 shelves was sent to the Grootfontein state hospital.
Four containers with 16 shelves each were sent to Otjiwarongo, Gobabis, Keetmanshoop, Onandjokwe and Outapi and one refrigerated container with 16 shelves delivered to the Rehoboth hospital.
“The government appreciates the support received from the private sector and development cooperation partners who provided refrigerated containers to serve as additional mortuary space to accommodate human remains of those who succumbed to Covid-19,” Shangula said.
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