Conveying dead relatives in taxis, private cars dangerous – Chief Mortuary man warns

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG) Mr Ebenezer Essilifie has warned Ghanaians to desist from conveying their dead relatives in taxis and private cars to mortuaries for preservation.

According to him, Ambulances and Hearse which are specially designed should be used to convey dead bodies to help curb the spread of some contagious diseases from dead persons.

Speaking in an interview with AMBASSADOR TV hosted by Josephine Esi Pipitha known as Pipi monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr Ebenezer Essilifie said “at first mortuary workers contracted the disease of dead persons but now the situation has changed because of the training, skills, and knowledge mortuary workers have acquired”.

“Sometimes people will come to the mortuary with taxis, private cars with their dead relatives because the person died at home but the action should be condemned. When your relative dies at home, the only option is to call an ambulance or hearse to convey the body,” Mr Ebenezer Essilifie explained.

Mr Essilifie added that “the argument that the person is dead so blood does not flow and therefore disease of a dead person cannot be transferred to a different person is also not true. I have witnessed a lot of postmortems and I can tell you that blood of dead bodies flows”.

He emphasized that “Mortuary workers don’t pray for people to die but death is part of every human and therefore we cannot run from it”.

“I feel pity when I go to work in the morning and see bodies of children, young girls and boys at the mortuary. I feel sad but the only question I always asked myself is where is this person going and what was his or her plans for the future?”

The veteran mortuary man added “I will advise each and every one to give his or her life to Christ because we came on this earth with nothing and we will go with nothing. Living a good life will give us a good place when we die”.