GUWAHATI: With the number of coronavirus positive cases surging in Guwahati and the growing number of deaths being recorded due to COVID-19, the two crematoriums of the city that have been engaged for the same currently have a long waiting list.
Earlier, Dr. Navanil Barua, Director of Neurosurgery at GNRC Hospitals posted on Facebook, “The Kamrup (metro) administration is also facing a tough time cremating the COVID deaths. Resources are stretched to limit and team is working overtime. When my brother in law died of COVID, he was in serial no. 17 waiting for cremation. As deaths mount, waiting time shall also mount as COVID dead bodies are not handed over to relatives!! Also, Guwahati might run out of morgue space too!!”
Officials of Apollo Hospital in Guwahati informed G Plus, “We have recorded a large number of cases, but only three out of them have been reported as COVID deaths. When a person is admitted, he or she is tested for COVID-19. Once found positive, the patient is treated as such. Even if such a person dies of any other co-morbidity, the patient is cremated as per COVID protocols. Such a body is not handed over to the family, but the last rites are performed by the district administration.”
Reportedly, the procedures to be followed by the hospitals for COVID related deaths are long. Also, with the rise in number of deaths per day, the resources of the Kamrup (Metropolitan) District Administration has proven insufficient.
Biswajit Pegu, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (M), speaking to G Plus said, “We are doing our best. But few patients from other districts, who have succumbed to COVID, are also cremated in the city itself, because as per protocol they cannot be handed over to the relatives. We have had instances where the contacts of relatives could not be found after a patient’s death and we were delayed due to that.”
“The administration is following ICMR norms and we have to go accordingly. It takes three to four hours to cremate one body and we are receiving bodies from more than 50 hospitals and nursing homes together. So the waiting list is a bit long. But we are doing our best to perform the last rites within 24 to 36 hours of death,” he added.
Sources have informed G Plus of instances where bodies have to be kept in morgue for 72 hours due to unavailability of cremation ground and other transport facilities and staff for the procedure. Once a person is reported dead due to COVID-19, the body is kept wrapped in government prescribed bags and then handled by the authorities alone.
Notably, only two crematoriums of the city have been allotted for the purpose – the Bhutnath crematorium and the Ulubari crematorium. The electric crematorium with two furnaces that was inaugurated at Ulubari on July 13 has remained non-functional ever since. Further, the district administration has stated that 9 to 10 persons are presently cremated per day. As such, resources are less, compared to the number of deaths.
“We cannot give priority treatment to anybody. All are equally important. We are doing all things possible,” said Biswajit Pegu.
When Dr. Navanil Barua was contacted about the post, he informed G Plus, “My post was not directed at anyone in particular. I wanted to make people aware of the situation in Guwahati at present. People must follow protocol and take precautions. The numbers are alarming. The government and the administration are doing everything possible, but if this persists, then even morgues will be left with no space.”