The Oyo State Government, on Monday, issued a seven day notice to relatives and next of kin of unclaimed corpses deposited in various public hospital mortuaries across the state to come forward for identification and claim, after which the bodies will be given a mass burial.
This was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, in Ibadan, the state capital.
She said, “The government noted a significant increase in the number of unclaimed corpses currently deposited in mortuaries within public health facilities across the state.
“The corpses were brought to the facilities by the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigerian Correctional Service, and other relevant agencies. Over time, the bodies have remained unclaimed, resulting in severe congestion in the affected mortuaries, many of which have now reached their storage capacities.
“In view of this development and the need to ensure the continued efficient operation of health facilities, members of the public, particularly individuals with missing relatives, are urged to visit the relevant public hospital mortuaries for the purpose of identification and possible claim of the corpses.
“Arrangements are being finalised for the conduct of a mass burial of all unclaimed corpses in the affected facilities, which will take place seven days from the date of this publication.”
Ajetunmobi further explained that the seven-day notice is intended to provide an opportunity for relatives and other concerned persons to come forward for identification before the burial exercise is carried out.
She, therefore, reiterated that the state government remained committed to maintaining acceptable public health standards and ensuring the effective management of healthcare facilities across the state.
