Herald: The people of Bogda, Vasco, including the MLA, opposed funeral of COVID-19 victims. Can you just tell us what really happened that day as you were around through the sequence of events?
Dr Madhu: Well, it all started after first death of a person from Morlem and shockingly another dead took place within 12 hours at Vasco. Now there are Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols that have been laid down by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) or Central government. However, the first time there is always a problem as it is a trial and error method. The family members of the victim told Dr Edwin Gomes that it is very difficult for them to take the body to Morlem, since all of them are quarantined. Just when we were thinking about how to go about the first body, there was another death. Now, this family was also from the containment zone at Vasco; and they too were not able to take the body. So for the very first time (in such a scenario), there was not just one, but we had to dispose of two bodies.
Now as per the protocol, when relatives don’t claim the body, we have little bit of technical issues. We also have to take police clearance as it becomes like an unclaimed body. So two days passed in this process of getting the clearance.
After that, on the third day, we decided to dispose the body and spoke to Hindu Matgramasth in Morlem; and they were ready to give the space at the crematorium, but the issue was who should handle the body. They clearly told us to bring labourers. This is when the difficulty started. Ajit Panchwadkar spoke to me and even offered a vehicle for transportation but said he was unable to give labourers. From the government side, what we could only arrange were our servants. But who wants to take this risk. Also for the funeral there are religious attachments.
So the next day, when Vasco victim’s funeral was arranged, the Collector Ajit Roy thought it wise to perform the funeral of the Morlem victim, also at the same place at Bogda. Everybody agreed with the suggestion and the process began. However, as people saw the entire administration in the crematorium making arrangements for bodies to come, the word spread like wildfire that something is happening in the crematorium, which created panic; and then people started opposing it. By then it was late in the evening and we did not have time to convince people or educate them.
Herald: So the bodies were disposed off in Ponda discreetly?
Dr Madhu: No, since the bodies were already out of the mortuary, we had to perform funeral that day itself. We had two options, either Ponda or Panjim. We realised that during Ebola time, Ponda crematorium was already declared under Disaster Management Act. So the Deputy Collector had the power to use it. Also, Ponda municipality has given an undertaking that if any government disposal is there, they have no objections. So the authorities felt it wise to take bodies there and it was done.
However, a rumour went out that we did it secretly as it happened at night. But the reality was by the time we decided to move to Ponda from Vasco, it was very late and hence it became late in Ponda. I didn’t realise the repercussion of that and only realised it later by next evening, when the public reactions started coming in. Basically, people in Ponda were worried that bodies of all victims may come to Ponda. But next day MLA Ravi Naik called me to educate the councillors and the issue was resolved.
Herald: Has the situation changed now?
Dr Madhu: Definitely, I am thankful to the entire media as they supported us well in creating awareness and now people are educated. The result can be seen, as after the death of Dr Suresh Amonkar, everything was smooth. People understood that we need to respect our people. There was a myth earlier due to reports that bodies are not handed over to relatives but after changes by the Centre, there was no follow up news.
As per the law, the dead body is the property of next of the kin. That law remains even in case of epidemics or pandemics. It does not change. We must praise the efforts of South Goa Collector Ajit Roy who has not shied away from the issue. Right from the first case to the last case, he himself has been monitoring that there is safe disposal.
Herald: There was also news of the EMRI refusing to carrying the body from ESI hospital to Panjim for cremation due to “uncleared files”. Is that true?
Dr Madhu: Well, regarding, 108 ambulance I have no knowledge about ‘uncleared files’, but what happened was sad. The Family was waiting, two ambulances came and went away and the third one was from a co-operative, but I don’t know why that one too disappeared. We have to sanitise our own people, as private persons will not handle the bodies. Also we need to understand by now that we are only using Margao ambulance personnel. The Vasco ambulance came only because the councillor from there died. The South Goa Collector is literally struggling to get ambulances. Not just body handlers, but the question arises about who should be in the driver’s seat. The Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) did a good job of arrangements but we could not send the body there due to the ambulance issue.
Herald: Don’t you think the Panchayats and Municipalities have larger role to play in this situation?
Dr Madhu: Agreed, municipalities and panchayats have to arrange the place of final rites as well as workers for funerals. It is the job of municipalities and panchayats that is why the crematoriums are notified. Local bodies have to take responsibilities
Herald: Coming to the Vasco case, can you tell us how the patient, who had just mild symptoms, died the day after he was brought for testing?
Dr Madhu: Coming to the Vasco case, when the person died the day after he was brought to the hospital with mild symptoms, it shocked everyone. It was later revealed that things were not brought to the notice of the doctors. The person was having fever for 13 days and fearing quarantine he was not going to doctors. Even when he went for the swab test he did not tell the doctors he had fever and as his temperature was low at that time, he was not admitted. These all facts we have recorded.
Herald: After the death of the victim, what is the process to be followed, especially if the patient is on a ventilator? Further, who does the final packing and cleaning part?
Dr Madhu: Our doctors are so well sensitised that they do all this themselves. They don’t even involve the Class IV workers and do everything themselves – right from the removal of ventilator pipes to the packing of the body in body bags and leave only after sanitising the area. Till that time, no non-professional touches the body. Then there is the issue of postmortem, as ICMR says even in murder cases there should not be invasive autopsy. For legal purposes, the traditional method is being used and there’s no invasion of lungs. Also, the packing of dead bodies is being done by transparent body bags.
Herald: With rising deaths do we have enough mortuaries?
Dr Madhu: Yes we are comfortable as the South Goa new mortuary is almost ready. We have a capacity of 80 in the new mortuary plus there is capacity of 8 in the COVID hospital. Even if we have 8 deaths per day, we assume these bodies will not remain for months. Besides, GMC has a mass disaster morgue separately with a capacity of 100.
Herald: Dr. What are the chances of coronavirus infecting another person from a dead body?
Dr Madhu: In fact, there very rare chances of COVID virus infecting others from a dead body but we cannot take a chance. It has happened in Mumbai as they were giving body directly and someone opened the body and they got infected. But burning a body requires 11,000 centigrade and the pyre is arranged in that way. Considering that the virus is so small, I don’t think it will survive in this heat. Also, there is no chance of infections from burials as it is 8 feet deep. But sanitisation can be done as the place has to be used next day again
Herald: What is your message to Goans on disowning bodies of their own?
Dr Madhu: We must remember, our life is a story and we all play characters but COVID has disturbed everything. Please do not disown anyone, finally everyone has to die. One thing COVID has done is that it has strengthened faith in God. Be with family members till their last breath, don’t disown them. I have a classic example of a Taleigao boy, who stayed in COVID hospital with his father throughout and did not contract the virus. So, respect your loved ones as they are not criminals or terrorists, don’t disown them simply because they have COVID-19. Don’t be scared of rest of the society. Finally, everybody will die none will stay till eternity. COVID is not selective, anybody can get it.
