HARARE – Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Chitungwiza Central Hospital are stuck with 38 uncollected corpses, which have been lying in their mortuaries for more than 10 months.
Most of the bodies are of people who were either involved in road accidents or had no positive identification at the time of their deaths while admitted to hospital.
The two health institutions are presently arranging pauper burials for the corpses.
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals head of public relations, Mr Linos Dhire, said the institution had 18 unclaimed bodies.
“People moving around without identification cards as well as the hit-and-run accidents are the major reasons why as a hospital we end up with unclaimed bodies,” he said.
“Pauper burials are not done only when we are overwhelmed by numbers but are always happening. Currently, processes are already underway to arrange for the pauper burials.”
Chitungwiza Hospital public relations officer, Ms Audrey Tasaranarwo, said there were 20 unclaimed corpses at the hospital.
“Fourteen of these bodies were brought in by the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” she said.
“The next of kin have not come forward to claim the bodies of nine out of the 14 unclaimed whose names are unknown.
“Six died in hospital, but had no identification particulars,” said Ms Tasaranarwo.
