The commission has directed that all dead body freezers available in government hospitals should be inspected periodically and maintained in working condition at all times so that the deceased and their families do not face unnecessary hardship.
The directions were issued recently by Deep Bhatia, Member, HHRC, after examining reports submitted in two separate complaints from Faridabad and Sonipat. Necessary instructions have been issued to the respective Chief Medical Officers.
In the Sonipat case, the complainant, a resident of Panipat, informed the commission that his 30-year-old son had died under suspicious circumstances on the night of July 18-19, 2024. The body was sent to Civil Hospital, Sonipat for post-mortem examination.
However, according to the complainant, there was serious negligence in preserving the body, providing proper care, and carrying out the identification process.
The complainant alleged that the mortuary did not have sufficient functional freezer facilities, resulting in difficulties in preserving the body and causing immense mental anguish and distress to the bereaved family.
Through his complaint, he urged the Commission to ensure effective measures so that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
In the Faridabad case, the Commission had sought a detailed report regarding the mortuary facilities, dead body preservation arrangements, and dignified handling of the deceased at BK Civil Hospital, Faridabad.
The report submitted by the hospital administration stated that the hospital has 14 dead body freezer chambers, of which 10 are fully functional, while four are temporarily out of service due to routine maintenance.
The report further stated that the hospital conducts an average of 5 to 10 post-mortem examinations daily, and the available functional freezer capacity is adequate to meet the routine requirements.
According to the report submitted by the Civil Surgeon in the Sonipat matter, the Civil Hospital, Sonipat has eight deep freezers in its mortuary. In addition, BPS Government Medical College for Women, Khanpur Kalan has one mortuary chamber in the casualty department and two mortuary chambers in the Department of Forensic Medicine.
Assistant Registrar, HHRC, Dr Puneet Arora said that after considering the reports in both cases, the Commission directed the respective Chief Medical Officers to conduct periodic inspections of all freezer chambers in their mortuaries and ensure that they remain fully operational at all times.
The Commission observed that protecting the dignity of the deceased and ensuring the respectful preservation of the bodies is a fundamental responsibility of healthcare institutions, and that any negligence in this regard cannot be tolerated.
