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Covid-19 burials: No burials until fresh guidelines 

28 Feb 2021

  • A few more days to draft fresh guidelines: DGHS 

  • State Ministry on Covid-19 unaware of guidelines 

  • Will hold bodies if cremation is challenged: PHIs  

  By Sarah Hannan and Lahiru Pothmulla    The Ministry of Health is yet to publish the amended guidelines to enable the burial of Covid-19 deceased, as the finalisation is pending at the office of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), The Sunday Morning learnt.  DGHS Dr. Asela Gunawardena confirmed that the guidelines had not yet been finalised. “It will take a few days and is in the process of preparation,” he said on 27 February. He added that the final circular would be issued subsequent to identifying the burial sites.  Although the extraordinary gazette permitting the burial of Covid-19 bodies was issued on 25 February by the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance Regulations under Chapter 222, the public will have to wait for the health guidelines that were issued by the DGHS to be amended to include fresh guidelines on handling the Covid-19 corpses for burial.  The Sunday Morning contacted the Secretary to the State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva and he stated that the State Ministry has not been informed as to when the guidelines will be drafted and publicised.  Furthermore, following the issuance of the gazette permitting Covid-19 burials, the DGHS and the Ministry of Health were to host a discussion on 26 February about preparing fresh guidelines on handling Covid-19 corpses. However, as learnt by The Sunday Morning, no official from the State Ministry was informed or requested to take part in such a discussion or meeting.  Meanwhile, the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) Union President Upul Rohana said that they are still waiting for the guidelines to be issued by the DGHS to bury Covid-19 victims’ bodies.  He said that according to the new gazette, the final rites should be done at a recommended location and as per the guidelines issued by the DGHS.  “If it’s a cholera victim’s body, there are certain requirements that should be met when burying the body, such as the chemicals to be used and how deep the grave should be. Similarly, we should receive guidelines on technical aspects when burying the bodies of Covid-19 victims such as the depth of the grave and whether we should use chemicals when burying the body. We should also receive instructions as to where we can bury the body – whether we can bury them at existing cemeteries or whether there will be specially allocated places,” he told The Sunday Morning.  Only then, can we implement this revised decision, he noted.  “Since a new gazette has been issued, we have to seek consultations if there is an issue. So far, there have been none.”  When queried as to what would happen if anyone requested a burial in the interim period, Rohana said: “For now, we are conducting cremations but if a family of a Muslim Covid-19 victim challenges the method of disposing the body citing the new gazette, then we will have to keep the body and seek instructions.”

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