Delhi govt allows post-mortem after sunset to encourage organ donation, transplant

NEW DELHI: Aiming to encourage organ donation and transplantation, the Delhi government on Tuesday approved the Postmortem of dead bodies possible even after sunset in the national capital. It also asked the hospital in-charges to ensure all necessary infrastructure at the postmortem house.

As per a senior Delhi government official, “This will not only change the situation for the relatives of the deceased who often have to wait a long time to receive the dead body but will also encourage organ donation and transplantation.”

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said that due to the availability of postmortem facilities at night, people in the city will not have to wait long for the postmortem of the dead bodies. This will give a lot of relief to the relatives of the deceased.

“However, in the case of deaths where there is suspicion of murder, suicide, rape, or foul play, a provision has been made to examine the dead bodies only during the day,” he said. “The Delhi government had sent a proposal to the Government of India for approval to conduct postmortems in hospitals after sunset.

Such postmortems shall be carried out in hospitals that have adequate facilities to conduct them on a regular basis,” said Deputy CM. “Postmortem cases related to organ donation will be done on a priority basis. Earlier the dead bodies were kept safely in the mortuary during the night.

The bereaved relatives had to wait the whole night to claim and bury the dead bodies. But now it will be attended to immediately,” he stated. Sisodia underlined that to avoid any doubt or confusion, video recording of all the postmortems will be done throughout the night and it will be preserved for future reference for legal purposes.