The mortuary at the state government run-Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (Tembha) Hospital in Bhayandar (west) which has been elevated to the civil hospital is not been put to its optimal use as twelve out of the 21 units in the cold room are out-of-use due to non-functional air-conditioners.
Having a row of seven cabinets with three units each, the mortuary has facilities for keeping 21 bodies at a time. This apart from a portable freezer box to preserve a single body. However, four stationery cabinets have developed technical snags.
Creates inconvenience to bereaved
With only three cabinets in working condition, the space is limited to preserve only nine dead bodies at a time, which creates inconvenience for the bereaved who to preserve the body till they arrange for the final rites. Generally, such requests are due to the waiting for the arrival of relatives from far off places for the last rites.
Moreover, the mortuary also caters to the needs of six police stations who shoulder the responsibility of handling medico-legal cases (MLC) which are related to accidental and unnatural deaths. This apart from railway accident cases between Mira Road to Virar. When contacted, civil surgeon, Dr. Zafar Tadvi claimed that 12 units were in working condition and the other three cabinets were under maintenance. “The maximum number of bodies arriving at the mortuary is averaged under eight at a time, as of now we are prepared for that. Instead of phasing out the cabinets, we opted for repair and maintenance. All the cabinets will become operational soon,” Dr. Tadvi said.
Hospital authorities need to conduct regular maintenance work
“The hospital authorities should conduct regular maintenance work to ensure that all cabinets remain functional and kin of the deceased are not deprived a dignified space to preserve the body of their beloved ones," said social activist and former municipal corporator Rohit Suvarna. The mortuary was constructed at the cost of ₹90 lakh by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in 2011.
