Cold storage mortuary extension set up at DMCH

A cold storage mortuary extension has been set up at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross to manage mass fatality incidents better, reports UNB.

DMCH is the primary location in Dhaka for processing victims after mass fatalities and for the storage of unidentified remains before being passed over to charity organisations for burial. But the current facilities do not meet the increasing needs and demands placed on the hospital.

So, the cold storage unit is aimed at reducing the stress on the hospital and its mortuary, allowing for the increased safe storage of dead bodies at low temperatures.

Proper and dignified management of the dead is the key to dealing with emergencies and crises such as the ongoing pandemic, said the ICRC Thursday.

“In times of disaster and emergency, infrastructure can be overwhelmed,” Jenny Hughes, ICRC forensic specialist, said while explaining the importance of this cold storage.

“The current pandemic has internationally highlighted the critical need to improve and upscale capacity in handling mass fatalities, to ensure victims do not become missing persons, the dead are not mismanaged, grieving families are afforded respect, and health staff are not put at undue risk,” she added.