DINDIGUL: Residents of Natham taluk in Dindigul have expressed deep disappointment over the lack of a freezer facility in the Natham Government Hospital, causing the bodies of deceased to be transported over 30 kilometers to the Dindigul Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
Speaking to TNIE, M Bhoominathan, a local resident, said, "This is the largest facility in the taluk, but the hospital falls short in providing essential services. While there are five primary health centres that operate in the region, which offer maternity care, villagers continue to rely on the Government Hospital for critical medical needs and other ailments.
Highlighting the lack of freezer boxes, he added, "Doctors are forced to conduct post-mortems immediately to prevent the bodies from decomposing. More importantly, in the absence of doctors, deceased individuals are sent to Dindigul Medical College Hospital, which is more than 30 kilometers away."
Vasant, another resident, noted that the transportation costs borne by the kin of the deceased, adds to their financial burden. "The unclaimed bodies and victims of road accidents in Natham, are being transferred to Dindigul Medical College Hospital or Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai for postmortem. This process places a significant burden on the relatives and friends of the victims, who are already enduring emotional pain from their loss. In most cases, they often have to wait for the bodies to be transported from GRH or Dindigul Medical College in a free ambulance, or else bear the cost of hiring a private ambulance to bring them to Natham, which adds to their distress."
He added, "It is surprising how often the significance of freezer boxes in mortuary wards goes unnoticed. These essential units play a vital role in preserving deceased bodies by slowing down decomposition, thereby maintaining dignity until funeral arrangements are completed."
An official from the Health Department acknowledged the issue as serious and assured that steps would be taken to resolve it. "We are fully aware of the issue regarding the shortage of freezer boxes. When the facility was originally constructed, no arrangements were made for freezer boxes, even after subsequent renovations were carried out. However, over time, the number of victims increased, and the lack of doctors further exacerbated the situation. To address this problem, we have submitted a proposal to purchase three freezer boxes at a cost of Rs 15 lakhs. This solution is expected to completely resolve the issue within a few weeks," he said.