Mortuary congestion lingers at hospital-Private sector plans could bring relief |09 November 2004

Acting director of the clinical laboratory at the Victoria Hospital, David Amedee, said that the problem of congestion at the mortuary still flares up “every now and then,” but especially during long weekends, like during last week’s Monday holiday (November 1).

The hospital’s nine chillers have not always been enough to cater to the amount of bodies awaiting burial, which has sometimes led to a rotation system whereby bodies have to be placed in and out of cold storage around the clock, Mr Amedee said.

He said the only viable short-term solution to cut down on the congestion was for relatives to bury their deceased as quickly as possible, at least until private firms are able to establish outside facilities.

The relief will not be immediate, however.

Andrew Padayachy, owner of Padayachy Funeral Services, said he was in the early stages of a new venture that would provide both cold storage and a crematorium.

The government is providing a plot of land – the site of the former Chinese Embassy at Mont Fleuri – to his company through a 50-year lease. The lease should be finalised soon, Mr Padayachy said, though minor negotiations still remain with the Ministry of Land Use and Habitat over a couple of clauses in the contract.

The R2 million project is a joint venture between Padayachy and a company from South Africa, which will be bringing in equipment.

Mr Padayachy said that given the problems of congestion at the hospital’s mortuary, the cold store will take priority to make up the first phase of the project, with the crematorium to follow.

The cold store is expected to have capacity for some 40 bodies, he added, though final plans are still tentative and will depend on the condition of the existing structures on the site.

He said after a proper survey is taken, a decision will be made on whether to renovate or demolish entirely and build anew.

The company has been given 18 months to complete work and begin operating, but Mr Padayachy indicated that he would do his best to get ready sometime next year despite a shortage of construction materials.

Senior health officials said other parties have also shown an interest in setting up their own private funeral services.

They said the mortuary congestion problem may stem from increased life expectancy and an ageing population, but also reflects changes in attitude and habit, given the length of time bodies are staying at the hospital before burial.

An overhaul to the outdated Public Health Act – expected to be put to the National Assembly soon – will introduce the country’s first legislation on funeral services, which is currently regulated through the Seychelles Licensing Authority.

This will allow the Ministry of Health to introduce a code of practice and supervise funeral service operations, the ministry said.