Another epidemic looms on congested mortuaries over postponement of burials

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EYO AKAISO, Uyo

As the federal and state governments continue to activate every cell required to contain and control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, indications are rife that Nigeria may be confronted with another epidemic.

This follows the revelation that most of the mortuaries holding corpses across the states are in the brink of collapse on the heels of decomposing corpses.

Investigations carried out by Daily Champion revealed that the issue of epileptic power supply and the laying of embargo on social and religious activities  including burials among many states have culminated in holding down at the rate at which corpses are been evacuated from mortuaries.

Already, many of the morticians at the various mortuaries have raised alarm on their inability to contain the dangers that could be associated with the collapse of mortuary facilities due mainly to overcrowding of corpses and overstretching of facilities amidst poor power supplies.

This came on the heels of the continual rise in the number of Nigerians who have tested positive to the coronavirus as the figure surged past the 318 mark as at Sunday morning.

Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) had on Saturday night announced 13 new confirmed cases of COVID-19  saying that three more people have died of the pandemic.

The NCDC through its official Twitter handle said that  70 people have so far been treated  discharged with 10 deaths. There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria

The cases of corovarius are spread across 19 states of the federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the NCDC, the distribution across the states as at Sunday morning is as follows; Lagos- 174, FCT- 56, Osun– 20, Edo- 12, Oyo- 11, Ogun– 7, Bauchi– 6, Kaduna- 6, Akwa Ibom– 5, Katsina-4, Delta- 3, Enugu- 2, Ekiti– 2, Rivers-2, Kwara– 2, Ondo– 2, Benue- 1, Niger- 1, Anambra– 1  and Kano-1.

But health officials are now worried that there could be imminent danger if efforts are not made to allow for the burial of so many corpses dumped in many of the holding facilities.

First to raise the alarm are health workers in Akwa Ibom State  who have reported that the ban on public gatherings across the country including burials as the result of total lockdown order over coronavirus have put the state at the brink of a possible epidemic.

These follow the inability of people to evacuate their dead for burials thus leading to congestion at most mortuaries across the state.

The situation is said to be made worse by the epileptic power supplies which has resulted in difficulties in preserving the corpses.

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.

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