THE University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has accused the Lusaka City Council (LCC) of giving it the burden of disposing of unclaimed bodies because of local authority’s failure to carry out the task.
And LCC says it appreciates the hospital’s effort to help it dispose of the unclaimed bodies and blamed poor communication between the two public institutions for the problem.
UTH public relations manager Pauline Mbangweta said in an interview LCC has given it a lot of unnecessary work because it has failed to play its role of disposing of unclaimed bodies at the hospital.
Ms Mbangweta said the hospital spends huge sums of money amounting to K6 million every month to bury the bodies, a task that does not fall within its mandate.
“It is the local authority’s responsibility to dispose of these unclaimed bodies, but the reason is not clear why they have not been doing their work. It’s a big drain to us because we are not funded to bury them. We are only given money for clinical care,” she said.
Ms Mbangweta said the hospital is facing difficulties in acquiring more drugs because it spends unbudgeted for money to bury unclaimed bodies on behalf of the council.
Ms Mbangweta said the council has not been helpful because it only provides the hospital with a truck without fuel and a driver to help carry the bodies for disposal.
“We buy fuel and pay the driver we are given using our own resources. We bury 25 to 35 bodies every month. Last month we buried 35 and this month of December we have 24 bodies awaiting burial,” she said.
Ms Mbangweta said the hospital has been trying hard to clear the unclaimed bodies on behalf of the council for 20 years because they want to give them a decent burial instead of leaving them to rot in the mortuary.
“These people are not our patients because they are brought in dead (BIDs) by the police. Imagine how much money we could have saved if we were not spending such amounts to do the work which is supposed to be done by them (LCC),” she said.
Ms Mbangweta said UTH is the only hospital that is spending huge amounts of money to bury unclaimed bodies around the world when the police and the council are supposed to do the job.
And LCC public relations officer Henry Kapata said the council appreciates the work the hospital has been doing on its behalf, although it is its responsibility to do so.
“There has not been official communication from them. We did not know that there is such a crisis at the hospital. We will do everything possible to work on the matter,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
How backwards are Zambians. Well cremate them and put them in some vessels .
I know the people not fit of my education standards know little of what cremation is, they probably think It is a soft drink
Either way, this is one joke of a story . We all know that the life span of Individuals in Africa let alone Zambia is very low and pretty much not more than 40
When you come to the Uk It is not nonsensical to presume that you probably increase your chances of living longer by up to 1/3 rd Common sense isn’t it?
Thanks
Thanks
You dumb a$$
My Zambian wife who lived in Australia for many years died much the same age as Zambians living on home soil.
Do not claim that you are more powerful than any of us who know death can come to anybody at any time and in any country.
Just wish it visits your ignorant head some day soon.
Your morals are low.
Zambians living in your home country are more smarter than you in this case.
UTH should invest in a good incinerator instead of making this noise again and again. i am sure council would be more than happy to help with the electicity/coal bill.
This has been going on for many years in Lusaka. It is ironical that the Council claims it is lack of communication. You would expect them to work hand in glove with the Hospital and hand in hand with the police. Maybe it is a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. LCC should forget about the inter party squabbles and get its act together.
Makes very sad reading indeed.
The two entities must treat this matter as business. The City council must refund UTH money used to burry the dead. Budget decisions must be followed if we are to move forward with development. As others have suggested, it is time the unclaimed bodies are creamated (Burnt to ashes). Certainly an incininrator is neded for this purpose.
The more people you burry the less land remains Lusaka is growing cremation or burning the unclaimed bodies is cheaper no coffins needed no fuel for driver. Think big Ba Uth
How you find time on christmas to remind us of your stupidity is sad. Since when is 6million “huge sums of money”. Stop 1/3 of doctors from pinching medicines, equipment, and supplies ffor use in personal private practices first bangwele armchair critics. Then tackle tthe matter of dignified disposal of unclaimed remains with ssome DIGNITY.
Everymonth spending 6million kwacha on burying 25-35 bodies? That is too little money per body 240,000pin less than the cost of a coffin so how do they bury? Also do u think u can make money out of these peanuts we need news not stories
Sad indeed
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