The mortuary at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka, Anambra State, has reportedly been filled up.
As a result, the institution said it would commence the evacuation, disposal and mass burial of corpses abandoned at its facility since 2014.
The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Henrietta Agbai, disclosed this in a statement sighted by our correspondent on Monday, adding that the exercise would commence from 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 said the decision followed the approval granted for the action by the state government.
She said, “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.”
The COOUTH is located at the centre of Awka, it is usually the first port of call for health emergencies in and around the state, especially in cases of road accidents, gunshot injuries and critical situations, among other.
It was gathered that most of the victims of these health emergencies do not eventually make it, and the corpses are usually moved to the hospital’s mortuary.
According to The PUNCH, the development has resulted in the hospital’s mortuary being overloaded with corpses, most of whom are unidentified, as far back as 2014.