Badnawar's Crumbling Mortuary Blot On Hospital’s Makeover

Badnawar (Madhya Pradesh): The lack of basic facilities in the mortuary at Badnawar Civil Hospital has become a serious concern, especially during the ongoing summer heat, with hospital staff and residents alleging negligence despite construction of new hospital buildings worth crores of rupees.

According to sources and visitors, the hospital has only one old post-mortem room and no proper mortuary facility. Unidentified bodies are often kept there for up to three days after post-mortem examination as per official rules. However, the room lacks fans, coolers and freezers, causing bodies to decompose rapidly in the heat.

The foul smell from decomposed bodies spreads across the surrounding area, creating inconvenience for hospital staff and visitors. Staff quarters for doctors and health workers are also located near the mortuary.

Hospital employees said conducting post-mortem examinations becomes extremely difficult when another body is brought in under such conditions. Sanitation workers also face severe hardship while handling the bodies.

Residents and staff alleged that demands for installation of freezers, coolers and fans have been repeatedly raised during meetings of the Patient Welfare Committee, but no action has been taken so far.

As CBMO Shantilal Mujalda is on leave, acting medical officer Hemant Thanna said the hospital currently has only a decades-old post-mortem room and no separate mortuary facility. He confirmed that the room does not have a fan or cooler.