HARARE – Zimbabwe is set to conduct pauper’s burials on 32 persons whose bodies have lied unclaimed for months at Parirenyatwa Hospital’s mortuary in Harare.
The country’s biggest government hospital announced this Friday adding that the bodies set for the public process were those that have been unclaimed from March to October this year.
Nine of the unclaimed bodies were identified, while the identities of the remaining 23 were unknown.
A pauper’s funeral is a basic funeral service provided by the government, local government, or hospital for a deceased person who has no relatives or money.
In a statement issued on Friday, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals stated that relatives had 21 days to claim their kin’s bodies or allow the state to conduct paupers’ burials.
“The following bodies have been unclaimed in the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals mortuary from 10 March 2022 to 03 October 2022.
“The hospital is requesting relatives or family members of the dearly deceased persons to come forward and claim the bodies and give them a decent burial.
“The claim period will end after (21) twenty-one days. Unclaimed bodies will be given paupers’ burial by the state,” read the statement.
Relatives of the deceased persons are encouraged to contact PGH head of public relations L. Dhire on cell 0774252178 or the mortuary supervisor S. Madyamhuru on 0773220082.
Cases of abandoned bodies in public hospitals in Harare are on the increase owing to a combination of various factors such as rising burial costs and the admission of many unaccompanied patients who later die in the health facilities with no relatives known.
