Edhi shuts morgues across country amid ‘fears of coronavirus spread’

Sindh police told to devise burial plan for COVID-19 victims

KARACHI: As Pakistan's coronavirus death toll reached nine, the Edhi Foundation temporarily closed its morgues across the country on Friday, stating that no services of any kind would be provided there.

Faisal Edhi, the chairperson of the welfare organisation, told The Express Tribune that people were bringing the bodies of coronavirus victims to the morgues, despite the fact that the virus was highly contagious.

"We cannot keep such bodies at the morgue, because the coronavirus could infect our staff and citizens visiting the facilities," he explained. "In order to stop the spread of the disease, we will be closing all our morgues in the country and we request people to bathe their deceased loved ones themselves."

According to Edhi, the foundation has eight morgues across the country, including three in Karachi and one each in Hyderabad, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Lahore. Apart from these, there are over 50 facilities where funeral baths are provided.



Earlier in the day, an Edhi Foundation spokesperson had requested citizens not to bring the bodies of coronavirus patients to the morgues.

He had further maintained that these bodies should not be taken home from the hospital either, as this could worsen the situation. He added that they should be buried in accordance with precautionary guidelines.

Cops told to devise burial plan for COVID-19 victims

Sindh Operations AIG Dr Asad Ejaz Malhi has directed the SSPs and SPs of all districts of the province to jointly devise the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the burial of persons dying of COVID-19, after consulting with deputy commissioners and district health officers.

Malhi's directives came in the wake of Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar's orders for devising the burial SOPs in line with the instructions of the federal health minister.

As per Malhi's orders, the SSPs and SPs are to identify suitable routes for transporting the bodies, identify cemeteries for burials and prepare a list of staff to be assigned tasks pertaining to the burials of those killed by the coronavirus. He has further instructed them to identify the means for shifting the bodies from hospitals to cemeteries and present details about the cemeteries and grave-diggers selected for the burials.

Moreover, the police will also take on board religious scholars on the matter, in order to prevent any religious and sectarian conflicts.
The SPs and SSPs have been directed to devise and submit the SOPs within two days for review by Mahar.