The morgue of the General Hospital of Beni has just experienced a significant improvement with the addition of twelve new places. This development is the result of advocacy with MONUSCO, which made it possible to obtain two additional refrigerated containers. One of these containers has been equipped and fitted out, and has been operational since last week.
Doctor Jérémie Muhindo, medical director of the general hospital of Beni, expresses his great satisfaction with this new acquisition. Indeed, the initial capacity of the morgue, which had been limited to only four places since its creation in 2017, was not enough to meet the needs of the population. With approximately 520,000 inhabitants in the Beni health zone, it was essential to expand the morgue to meet the demand.
The presence of an adequate morgue is of paramount importance in an area like Beni, which has been affected by several Ebola outbreaks in recent years. Proper preservation of bodies enables effective intervention to prevent the spread of epidemic diseases such as the Ebola virus. By avoiding contact with the bodies of deceased persons, it is possible to break the chain of transmission.
Previously, when the public morgue in Beni could only accommodate four bodies, a temporary “dead room” was used to hold the remains for a few hours before they were buried by their families. This situation was precarious and did not guarantee optimal preservation of the bodies.
With the addition of these new places in the morgue, Beni General Hospital now has an invaluable tool to ensure the protection of the community and prevent the spread of dangerous diseases. This improvement is a major step forward for the region and will help strengthen public health measures in the event of epidemics.
Thanks to the support of MONUSCO, the morgue of the general hospital of Beni is taking a step forward in its mission to protect the health of the inhabitants. This initiative demonstrates the importance of investing in health infrastructure to address the health challenges facing the population. With a capacity of twelve places, the public morgue in Beni will be better equipped to meet the needs of the community and safeguard public health in this crucial region of the Democratic Republic of Congo