Rights panel orders better maintenance of mortuaries in Haryana hospitals

The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has directed health officials to repair and properly maintain mortuary facilities in all government hospitals across the state. The commission said preserving bodies with dignity is an important responsibility of public hospitals.

The order was issued by HHRC member Deep Bhatia after complaints about negligence and non-functioning freezer chambers in hospitals in Sonepat and Faridabad.

Complaints led to action

One complaint was filed by a resident of Panipat whose 30-year-old son died under suspicious circumstances. The man alleged that when his son’s body was taken to the Civil Hospital in Sonepat for a post-mortem examination, the mortuary did not have working freezer facilities.

According to the complaint, the body began to decompose quickly, causing additional pain and distress to the family.

After the commission sought a response, the civil surgeon of Sonepat said the Civil Hospital has eight deep freezers. He also informed the panel that three additional freezer chambers are available at the BPS Government Medical College for Women in Khanpur Kalan.

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Regular inspections ordered

The commission also looked into the mortuary facilities at BK Civil Hospital in Faridabad. The inquiry found that four of the hospital’s 14 freezer chambers were temporarily out of service because of maintenance work.

Hospital authorities said the remaining 10 chambers were enough to handle the usual number of post-mortem cases. However, the commission said such lapses should not be ignored.

The HHRC has now ordered regular inspections of mortuaries in government hospitals to ensure that all cold storage chambers remain functional at all times.

The commission warned that negligence in the preservation and respectful handling of dead bodies will not be tolerated in the future and asked health authorities to take all necessary steps to maintain mortuary facilities properly.