The Kaduna health ministry has evacuated no fewer than 60 unclaimed corpses for mass burial.
The Kaduna government buried the corpses at Bachama Cemetery.
Health commissioner Umma Ahmed disclosed this on Friday during the evacuation of the corpses from Gwamna Awan General Hospital in Kakuri, Kaduna.
According to the commissioner, the evacuation became necessary following a complaint by hospital management due to air pollution in the area.
The health commissioner noted the corpses had been deposited at the morgue for five years without families or relations coming to claim them.
“The ministry, in its bid to ensure that the environment is safe for habitation, secured court injunction to bury the unclaimed corpses,” said the health commissioner.
Gabriel Brown, the hospital’s medical director, commended the ministry for the quick response in evacuating the corpses as it would bring relief to the hospital and community.
Mr Brown said the corpses were costing the government money for maintenance while occupying space and limiting services rendered to the public.
Asmau Adamu at the Department of Disease Control, Kaduna South LGA, disclosed that unclaimed corpses were victims of road crashes, armed robbers and kidnappers.
(NAN)