Covid-19 corpses taking over mortuaries at hospitals as EHOA-GH continues strike action

​​Industrial action by Environmental Health Officers has led to mortuaries preserving dead bodies in the various health facilities getting full.

With the Environmental Health Officers – Ghana now on a strike action fighting for better working conditions, it will soon worsen the situation.

According to the municipal health director for Nkawkaw Municipality, Mrs Celestina Asante under normal circumstances covid-19 dead bodies shouldn’t be kept at the morgue for more than a week but because of the strike action, hospitals are not able to release Covid-19 bodies for burial.

Also the deputy administrator at Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw, Mr Lawrence Opoku narrated how the situation is worrying hence the hospital is discussing with stakeholders how to find alternative ways of disposing of the Covid-19 bodies to decongest the mortuaries.

Some family members who have covid-19 dead bodies at morgues in the region also shared the frustration they have been through due to the strike action taken by EHOA-GH and called on the government to rescue them else they would advise themselves.

Members of the Environmental Health Officers Alliance-Ghana (EHOA-GH) since last month stopped the burial of Covid-19 infected corpses across the country.

 The group lamented that the Environmental Health Practitioners burying the bodies lack the needed resources to carry on with their job

 They are hence calling on key actors in the health sector, namely the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service, to supply them with the needed PPEs else the association will continue with the strike action.

By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh

Author