The silent crisis at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital’s ‘Troubled Morgue’

It has been two years since my groundbreaking investigation into the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital’s mortuary revealed appalling conditions that shocked the nation.

From the outside, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital mortuary looks like any major medical facility, routinely receiving dead bodies with each passing moment.

 

But hidden within its walls lies a dark secret: a mortuary overwhelmed by neglect and decay. As I approach, the familiar nauseating stench hits me, a reminder of the grim reality I first encountered two years ago.

 

 

The scene inside is haunting. Bodies, once again, are piled on the filthy, bare floors, covered in flies. The dilapidated conditions have only worsened, with water droplets from decomposing bodies pooling on the ground, unable to drain due to clogged and poorly maintained channels.

The drains, now more choked with filth than ever, are breeding grounds for maggots and other vermin. Despite the public outcry and promises of reform after my first visit here, the situation has deteriorated even further, turning an already grim scenario into a ticking time bomb of public health.

 

 

The mortuary, built to accommodate a few dozen corpses, now struggles with hundreds, turning it into a festering hub of disease and despair.

The mortuary’s drainage system remains a disaster waiting to happen. Wastewater, now more toxic than ever, flows untreated from the mortuary to major drains.

The untreated effluent contaminates the waters where local fishermen ply their trade, creating a public health hazard that extends far beyond the mortuary walls.

 

Kojo Asante, not his real name, has been fishing along the seafront where the morgue’s wastewater settles for over 20 years. Though aware of the situation, he continues to fish here with his colleagues.

 

“We are aware the mortuary water passes here but we catch the fish and sell it. We eat it too. Sometimes we fall sick”

He waits for the water to rise in the evening, believing it brings more fish to catch and sell.

“Nothing has changed. The wastewater still flows directly into the sea. It’s dangerous, and yet, no one is addressing it.

Public health experts continue to warn that the untreated discharge from the mortuary is a recipe for disaster. The risk of disease outbreaks looms large, and the longer this situation is allowed to persist, the greater the threat to the public.

Director of Metro Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Florence Kuukyi and her team conduct regular inspections at the morgue, describing the situation as extremely disturbing.

“It’s unacceptable to channel human wastewater into a lagoon,” she stated.

 

The storage rooms, already overcrowded during my last visit, are now beyond capacity. Bodies are decomposing at a rapid rate, creating a hazardous environment not only for the mortuary staff but also for the surrounding community.

 

For the umpteenth time, mortuary attendants have gone on strike to demand better conditions of service. The General Secretary of the Mortuary Workers Union of Ghana, Richard Jordan, revealed that some attendants at Korle Bu are developing serious health complications, with others losing their lives.

 

The CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampoma, acknowledged that there is a general drainage issue in the morgue. He stated that the hospital has plans in place to address these pressing concerns.

“We’ve had meetings and there are plans to renovate the mortuary. We don’t have a city morgue so all accident bodies are brought here,” he lamented.

 

The Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA), established under the Health Institutions and Facilities Act, 2011 (Act 829) by the Ministry of Health, is mandated to license, control, and regulate all facilities connected with the storage, transportation, and disposal of human remains.

 

According to MoFFA, the current state of the morgue does not reflect the standards of a properly functioning facility, but the challenges extend far beyond the hospital itself.

After the exposé two years ago, plans were made for a new morgue, but financial approval for the proposal remains stalled at the highest levels.

Every functioning mortuary should have proper drainage systems and digesters to treat the wastewater from dead bodies before disposal. However, Korle Bu lacks these essential facilities.

I visited Transitions, a private funeral service provider. Here, wastewater from the facility is directed to their digesters for proper treatment before disposal.

 

 

Korle Bu could take a cue from this, but no one seems to care. Back inside the Korle Bu mortuary, Kawe, not her real  name, now in her 11th year as a mortuary attendant, continues to face stigma and isolation. Two years ago, when she agreed and shared her distressing story as a woman and a morgue attendant, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital queried her and her other colleagues who spoke with me in the documentary, threatening them with loss of jobs.

The facility heads put them in so much fear that they could no longer complain of the inhumane working conditions they are stuck in.

Today, the story remains the same, but no one is willing to speak out. Today I see her here busily working on a body. We had few eye contacts, but she couldn’t make me out as I was disguised. All I did was admire a woman passionate about her work despite the challenges.

 

 

Two years ago, I stood here and called for urgent action. I make that call again, only this time, the situation is even more dire. The Korle Bu mortuary is not just a place where bodies go to rest; it has become a symbol of systemic failure, neglect, and the dangers that come when we turn a blind eye to the dead.

 

 

This is more than just a story about a mortuary; it’s about the lives of the living, those who work here, those who live in the surrounding communities, and those who unknowingly consume fish caught in contaminated waters. The time for action is now, before this crisis spirals even further out of control.

As the world watches, there’s one question. How much longer can this ticking time bomb be ignored? The lives of many depend on what is done next.

Countries like South Africa, operate mortuaries managed by provincial health departments, ensuring that bodies from accidents or disasters are stored in hygienic conditions.

In Kenya, Proper drainage systems, waste treatment, and hygiene protocols are prioritized to prevent health risks.

In the United States, The government plays a significant role in ensuring these facilities are well-maintained and staffed with qualified personnel.

Ghana can take a cue from these countries by: Upgrading facilities with modern waste management systems. Allocating state funding to maintain mortuaries and handle tragic cases.
Introducing strict regulations for better operations and health safety, and Providing better training and support for mortuary staff.

As I step out of the Korle Bu mortuary, a heavy sadness settles over me. Two years ago, I exposed the heart-wrenching conditions here, hoping it would lead to change. But today, all I see is more pain, more neglect, and a deepening crisis that no one seems to care about.

The bodies lying on the cold, dirty floors tell a story of a society that has forgotten its dead. The mortuary workers, struggling to keep their humanity amidst the horror, are left to battle this nightmare alone, with little hope in sight.

Until the country confronts these dire challenges, the suffering will persist, unspoken, unnoticed, but painfully real.

Source:onuaonline.com