The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE morgue at Princess Margaret Hospital is operating beyond capacity sparking an appeal from officials yesterday for the collection of remains.

The Tribune understands the morgue has the capacity to hold up to 100 bodies.

However, this number may have been exceeded by the remains of 50 people.

Public Hospitals Authority officials are therefore requesting funeral homes that are under contract by families of the deceased to accelerate removal of bodies in preparation for burial.

If bodies are not moved in a timely manner, PHA officials said the required legal authority will be sought to remove the remains.

“The Princess Margaret Hospital is making an urgent appeal for the public to make arrangements directly or via legal representatives for the collection of their deceased loved ones from the hospital Morgue,” the PHA’s release said.

“This appeal comes as the hospital’s morgue is operating beyond capacity. The PHA is also requesting funeral homes that are under contract by deceased families to accelerate the removal of bodies in preparation for burial.

“In the event where bodies are not removed in a timely manner, the PHA will have no alternative but to seek the required legal authority to remove the remains. While PMH attempts to mitigate its limited storage capacity, the increasing number of bodies threatens morgue operations as overflow conditions can compromise the integrity of bodies over time. The PHA and PMH appreciate the public’s support and understanding regarding this critical and urgent request.”

Families can contact the hospital on 322-2861.

Kirsch Ferguson, Bahamas Funeral Directors Association president, said morticians have been doing all they can to alleviate the strain on the morgue.

However, he said funeral homes can only act when the proper approvals are granted.

He said: “I know in the past the Minister of Health (Renward Wells) would have made mention of funeral homes being under contract by families.

“What did not happen in terms of his utterances is that there are many circumstances that hinder funeral homes from moving forthwith the removal of bodies from the morgue and it’s not a matter of being under contract because in the first instance we have to wait on authorisation to be given to us, not only from the family, but from the hospital authorities or from the coroner’s office.

“So, there is nothing we can do until we are given proper authorisation to move forward. Secondly, based on the current circumstances that we are faced with in this pandemic, I know personally and, in speaking with colleagues, that every effort is being made by funeral homes to remove bodies from the morgue as quickly as possible.

“That is for two reasons: one to alleviate the backlog of bodies in the hospital and number two is because families want to have interment services as quickly as possible if circumstances warrant.

“So, obviously there is no intentional effort being made by morticians to have bodies housed in the morgue unnecessarily, but we are constantly under the radar of authorities that we are doing something untoward, and we are actually doing our best to facilitate any efforts that are being made by PMH to have that morgue available when needed,” Mr Ferguson said.