Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Apr 2: A meeting was called by deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim on Thursday April 2 to discuss the issues faced by Wenlock hospital mortuary ward regarding the disposal of unidentified bodies.

Before the start of the meeting, a war of words between human rights acivists and private hospital representatives over the transfer of dead bodies to private hospitals. The situation was controled by the police present at the meeting.

Dr Rajeshwari Devi, medical superintendant of Wenlock Hospital explained, "There are 9 medico-legal cases (MLC) pending from last five months. Six bodies are from urban areas and the rest brought by ambulances. Any case brought to the hospital where the patient is dead or unconcious is considered as MLC." She also said that there are 11 non-MLC cases.

DC A B Ibrahim asked the police why the bodies were still in the mortuary even after more than five months, and directed the police to dispose the bodies, as the space in the mortuary is very less.

"In the last meeting it was directed to give proper advertisements related to this matter. Why are the guidlines not follwed? No NGO has registered till now. There has to be advertisements in two leading newspapers of Mangaluru along with the photo of the deceased for 15 days. A special account needs to be opened for the payment of advertisement charges, and the money recieved from the transfer of the dead bodies to hospitals has to be deposited to the account. NGOs of all the three communities have to be registered, and minimum 6 NGOs have to register with the Wenlock hospital," the DC said.

Reprentatives of medical colleges explained that there is an acute shortage of cadavers provided to the colleges. "Earlier 10 students used to get one cadaver for dissection, now the number has gone up to 25 students for one cadaver. The unclaimed bodies have to be given to medical colleges at least on a rotation basis," they said.

The DC replied, "Under the present law, there is no provision to give bodies to medical colleges. If the law is amended, then it will be implemented. As of now, all medico-legal cases have to be given to the police."

A B Ibrahim also issued guidelines to MCC burial contractor not to bury more than one body in one pit, and added that all the bodies have to be buried in a meaningful manner.

Kolladi Balakrishna Rai from Human Rights Federation of India and others were present at the meeting.