HEALTH MINISTRY ISSUES PROCEDURE TO BURRY COVID DECEASED IN IRANATHIVU

A Health Ministry circular DGHS/COVID19/347-2021 issued last night, it was stated that cremation/burial of the COVID- 19 deceased should take place within 24 hours after issuing the documents pertaining to the release of the corpse. It was advised that the bodies should not be washed or embalmed nor handed over to the relatives. It was further stated that unclaimed/unidentified corpses will be cremated at the government’s expense.

According to the circular, the coffin should be provided by the relatives and the corpse would be placed in a body bag. The circular further stated that 10 minutes will be allowed for religious activities to take place in the hospital and only five members of the family at a time is permitted to attend the religious activity and view the body at the hospital. Viewing of the corpse shall take place while the corpse is placed in the body bag, and will be allowed only for 10 minutes with the relatives observing physical distancing and the Standard Infection Prevention Control (SIPC) precautions. The corpse would be then transported to the place of disposal by an authorized mode of transportation with a police escort. The entire process would be observed by the area MOH/PHI and police until the cremation/burial process has ended. In case of cremation, the body will be cremated at the closest designated crematorium while burial will take place at a common designated cemetery/burial site designated by the DGHS. After cremation, relatives will be able to obtain the ashes at their request.

The above procedure will also be followed in case the body tests positive for COVID- 19 after death.

For burial, the following instructions were prescribed in the circular. It was stated that ‘burial preferably will be performed in an island adhering to adequate requirements.’ The corpse has to be buried at a depth of 1.5-3.0m while the bottom of the grave should be at least 2.0m above the groundwater table. The minimum distance to the water sources were as follows:

■4 or less bodies in the area- 200m

■5- 60 bodies in the area- 250m

■>60 bodies in the area- 350m

■120 bodies per 100m2 – 350m

In the SOP of Transportation and Burial of COVID- 19 deaths, it was stated that the relatives had to inform, without delay, to the Director/ Head of Health Care Institution if they wish to bury the corpse. The Director/ Head has to obtain a written request from the relatives regarding the burial. In this SOP, it was stated that the Director/ Head should include the place of burial as Iranaitivu Island in the Death Declaration Form. This Form would be used to transport the corpse from the hospital and for the burial. In case of an inquest, the burial site has to be included by the Inquirer into Sudden Death (ISD)/ Magistrate in the document issued by them. The coffin has to be provided by the relatives and the date and time of dispatch of the corpse would be informed to them by the Director/ Head. The corpse would be transported in the coffin to a designated location in the Colombo Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Office of JMO Colombo)/ BH Welikanda. Then the corpse will be transported to the Nachchikuda pier. The vehicle that transports the corpse to this location will leave daily at 5.30am from the designated receiving center. The corpse will be then handed over to the respective authority at the Nachchikuda pier and the process would be supervised by the MOH/PHI. The burial process will take place facilitated and coordinated by the police/ security personnel at an island marked by the Government. The burial process will occur in the presence of two relatives and MOH/PHI of the area of burial along with the Police/ Security personnel.

The relatives should not be patients infected with COVID- 19 and are allowed to be present at Nachchikuda pier to witness the burial at Iranaitivu island. Those under quarantine will be permitted under the guidance and approval of the Moh/regional Epidemiologist. The relatives should adhere to the standard infection control measures. In the circular, it was stated that the coffin should not be opened and the relatives should not handle the body under any circumstance.

As Winston Churchill once said, “There are no lasting friends and lasting enemies only lasting interests”, we the people of Sri Lanka have considered our closest neighbour India as our friend and big brother. It was indeed heartwarming when we received a donation of 500,000 Astra Zenica Vaccines recently from them. However, the stance taken by India at the UNHCR resolution is most disappointing. The brutality of the LTTE will be acknowledged by India as their Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was murdered by them. Although the LTTE is no more, India will be aware that the ghost of this movement lingers in the guise of the Tamil diaspora and this group wields a great deal of influence in Europe, England and in the United States. It is no surprise therefore that England along with a few other countries sponsored the resolution against Sri Lanka. It must be acknowledged that India’s stance has been consistent in that whenever such resolutions were tabled India remained neutral. However, the current resolution has been tabled against the backdrop of UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet’s report, which is biased and some of the allegations levelled are an infringement of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. It is obvious when the report is read that it is an expression of the views of the opponents of the present Government and the issue of reconciliation and the problems of the minorities have not been included.

It is also apparent that she has misunderstood the role of the UN, which is clearly spelt out in the UN charter. Their functions are advisory and not that of a Judge and Jury and it is categorically stated that they must respect the independence of the country. India being our neighbour would have monitored the atrocities committed by the LTTE in Sri Lanka and the manner they killed innocent civilians in large numbers. After the end of the conflict false reports that 40,000 civilians perished in the final stages of the conflict in Mullaitivu at the hands of the Army were spread and the false information reached the world. Perhaps, the UNHCR and the Western bloc do not still accept that this as a falsehood propagated by the Diaspora, although it lacks evidence and substantiation. We the people living in Sri Lanka know that it is a fabrication and I am sure so does India.