By Kate Bih
Five corpses have been abandoned at the Bamenda Regional Hospital mortuary, with three of them reported to be in a state of advanced decomposition, the hospital authorities have said.
The concerning information is detailed in an official release signed by the Director of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Dr. Denis Nsame.
The five bodies, comprising four males and an unidentified woman believed to be above sixty years old, have been left unclaimed at the hospital mortuary, prompting concerns about the circumstances surrounding their abandonment.
One of the corpses, identified as “Rubby,” was deposited by the Rapid Intervention Battalion on December 11.
Another, that of an unidentified female, was left at the mortuary by the Bamenda City Council on November 26.
The remaining three bodies, all unidentified, were deposited by the E-Ward, the Casualty, and the Reanimation departments of the Bamenda Regional Hospital.
Hospital authorities are now urging the public to come forward and assist in the identification and collection of the abandoned corpses.
The release from the hospital underscores the urgency of the situation, particularly concerning the three bodies reported to be in a “bad state.”
The circumstances surrounding the abandonment of these corpses remain unclear, raising questions about the responsibilities of various entities involved in their initial deposition.
The abandonment of corpses at the Bamenda Regional Hospital has been recurrent since the start of the armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions.
In June 2021, the hospital director announced the abandonment of eight bodies at the hospital, urging people to come identify them.
Most of them, he disclosed, had bullet injuries. With the capacity of receiving just 200 bodies, the Bamenda hospital mortuary has found itself at some point receiving corpses beyond its capacity.
This owes to rampant killings in the Bamenda and the city’s outskirts, a phenomenon that has haunted the city for years now.
The recent call for public assistance highlights the challenges faced by the hospital in managing unclaimed bodies and the importance of community cooperation in resolving such situations.
Abandoning corpses in a mortuary not only poses ethical concerns but also reflects a broader issue of responsibility and proper procedures in handling the deceased.
