Administrators of the Pantang Hospital in the Greater Accra Region, are appealing to Ghanaians with dead relatives inside their morgue, to come for the bodies for private burials.

According to the administrators, the refusal to hold private burials for their dead relatives have left the morgues congested.

“There has been little activity in terms of people coming for bodies. Of course, as for death, people continue to die so the number of bodies coming in has not changed. So what has happened now is that the morgue is currently full,” Deputy Administrator at the Pantang Hospital, Collins Kessie said.

Last month, President Akufo-Addo placed a ban on funerals, allowing for private burial with numbers not exceeding 25 in attendance.

This, according to the President will prevent a spread of the virus. He also announced a ban on public gatherings, asking Ghanaians to practice social distancing.

But Mr. Kessie says the directive is affecting operation at the morgue.

“At the moment, the number of people coming for their relatives have come down. On average, 10 bodies were released weekly but after the announcement that has reduced. In fact there was a week that nobody came for a dead relative and we have been appealing to the public since then."

He said this has led to the hospital losing revenues.

“The president said there could be private burials, so that can be done. If people go by this and social distancing, funerals can be held and we will have space.  There is less work for our morticians and we are also not making money since we don’t have space. People pay to keep their dead here, but once there is no space, we can’t keep new ones. People not coming for the old ones means no money is coming in.” he said. 

Earlier this week, authorities at the Bono Regional Hospital in Sunyani said their morgue can no longer receive bodies since it has reached its full capacity.

The Medical Director for the Regional Hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Kofi Amponsah said the love for big gatherings by a cross-section of Ghanaians prevents them from organising a moderate funeral for their dead relative in the lockdown period.

He urged families to come for the bodies so the hospital can have space to admit more.