Handover bodies of Covid -ve patients to family: Odisha govt to officials

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government directed officials to hand over bodies of Covid negative patients to their relatives, provided they adhere to Covid appropriate behavior. In this regard, Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department, PK Mohapatra wrote a letter to District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, Superintendents of Medical Colleges and Hospitals and health officials today.

The letter mentioned body of a Covid negative patient must be handed over in case the family wants. Meanwhile, the family members will have to give an undertaking to abide by Covid protocols like not opening the body bag or touching or kissing the body.

The hospital authorities were also asked to sanitise and pack the body Covid patients while as per the Government of India guidelines. The directive is issued for the body of Covid patients, who are found to be negative at the time of death.

In case a Covid patient dies during treatment, the body has to be disposed of in a dignified manner by the local authorities, after consulting family members.