The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has mounted October 21, 2026, for the mass burial of corpses that stay unclaimed in its mortuary after the expiration of a remaining grace interval given to kin and people who deposited the our bodies.
The hospital stated the choice was half of efforts to decongest its mortuary, enhance sanitation and deal with the rising quantity of deserted and unclaimed corpses, some of which have reportedly remained there for greater than 10 years.
Chairman of the Special Task Force on the Evacuation of Abandoned and Unclaimed Corpses, Dr David Ushie, disclosed this in Calabar whereas asserting the most recent efforts to hint kin of the affected corpses.
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Ushie stated the hospital had given kin and people who deposited the our bodies three weeks to determine and declare them earlier than the October 21 deadline.
“The hospital has given relatives and individuals who deposited the corpses three weeks to identify and claim them. Any bodies remaining unclaimed after the October 21, 2026, deadline will be evacuated for mass burial without further notice,” he stated.
The Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, had earlier introduced the deadline through the inauguration of the duty drive, attributing the rising quantity of unclaimed corpses to the excessive value of burial ceremonies and cultural practices that impose substantial monetary obligations on bereaved households and in-laws.
Ikpeme, who was represented by the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee in cost of Clinical Services, Dr Stephen Ogbudu, stated the directive lined corpses that had remained within the mortuary past the statutory 90-day interval from the date of deposit.
He disclosed that some of the corpses had remained within the hospital mortuary for over a decade, describing the state of affairs as a burden that required pressing motion.
According to him, the evacuation train turned essential to create house within the mortuary and guarantee a cleaner and safer surroundings for the availability of scientific companies.
The hospital administration had earlier issued a public discover calling on kin and people who could have deposited corpses on the facility to come back ahead, determine the our bodies and full the mandatory procedures for their restoration.
Management reiterated the enchantment, urging members of the general public who’ve lacking or deceased kin whose stays could have been deposited at UCTH to take benefit of the grace interval earlier than the October 21 deadline.
The hospital stated no additional discover could be issued for corpses that remained unclaimed after the deadline.
The mortuary evacuation activity drive was inaugurated on September 29, 2026, with representatives of related hospital departments, stakeholders and members of the press in attendance.
Ushie, who’s the Head of the Department of Pathology, chairs the committee, whereas Barrister Ewa Iquo Alexander of the hospital’s Legal Department serves as secretary.
Other members of the duty drive embrace representatives of the Surveillance, SERVICOM, Corporate Affairs, and Sanitation departments.
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