Kathmandu, September 10
The government has decided to build or expand morgues capable of accommodating at least 50 bodies at 12 federal hospitals and health science academies to improve the country’s capacity to manage mass casualties during disasters.
The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene made the ministerial-level policy decision following difficulties in managing bodies during past disasters, including the recent Bhotekoshi floods.
Health and Food Hygiene Minister Nisha Mehta said hospitals needed adequate morgue facilities to prevent such difficulties from recurring and to strengthen disaster preparedness.
The ministry said the facilities would enable the safe preservation, identification and examination of bodies and help streamline necessary legal procedures. It said expanding morgue capacity was also essential to strengthen forensic medicine and medico-legal services.
Morgue capacity will be expanded or new facilities constructed at Koshi Hospital, Narayani Hospital, Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital, Bharatpur Hospital, Bheri Hospital and Dadeldhura Hospital.
Similar facilities will be developed at the National Academy of Medical Sciences, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences.
The ministry said the initiative aims to make body management during disasters safer, more systematic, dignified and scientific while strengthening forensic and medico-legal services.
