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Beira: The disappearance of corpses and their apparent mistaken identification in the Beira Central Hospital (HCB) mortuary in Mozambique is generating confusion and anxiety.

In the past two weeks, one body was mislaid, while two others were delivered by mistake into the hands of the wrong relatives.

The most recent case took place last weekend, when the body of an elderly man disappeared from the mortuary.

After preparing the grave, the relatives went to the HCB morgue, but could not find the corpse of their loved one.

“Now we are wondering if he did indeed die. If he did die, then where is he? We have already bought a coffin and laid out for food, transportation, funeral and so on, but … nothing. This is very hurtful. There is no explanation. How can a body just disappear from a hospital?” asked a family member.

Beira Municipality councillor for Urban Management and Equipment, Manuel Joaquim admitted there was a flaw in funeral services.

“In fact, there was a first case related to the exchange of bodies between two families as a result of human error, with responsibility shared between morgue officials and the family. A few days later, we had the second case related to a Covid-19 patient, who died at Hospital 24 de Julho. We offered confirmation to the family, but they said it was not the body of their relative. We checked all the drawers in the morgue, without finding the body. But identification of the body is done
by the health authorities, we just get the tagged body,” he said. – AIM-New Ziana