Africa-Press – Zambia. TWENTY unclaimed bodies from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) have been buried at Chingwere Cemetery following the elapsing of the 14-day notification by the Lusaka City Council in the press.
In a media statement to Mwebantu, LCC public relations officer, Emmanuel Lupikisha said early this month, the council received a request from UTH to bury 20 unclaimed bodies which were in the mortuary for some time causing unpleasant smell.
He said the council then buried the unclaimed bodies in accordance with the provisions of Section 61, Paragraph 41 of the Second Schedule of the Local Government Act Cap 281 which assigns a 14-day notice for the members of the public to claim and or identify any of the bodies and conduct burial.
“At the expiry of the notification, no body was claimed which led to the Public Health Inspectors conducting burial of the unclaimed bodies,” he said
And the local authority has continued to restrict the number of people at the cemeteries through public health inspectors and council police officers deployed at public cemeteries.
He said the council is appealing to mourners to follow the public health guidelines during their mourning period and ensure that they avoid crowding as it is one of the super spreader events observed by the ministry of Health.
“Mourners should ensure that they follow the five golden rules of COVID-19 prevention and oblige to the 50 people rule for a funeral gathering,” Mr Lupikisha said.
