The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is finalising contract documentation for the upgrade of the Vunisea Hospital mortuary in Kadavu following growing public concern over the facility's prolonged closure and the difficulties faced by grieving families when making funeral arrangements.
The Ministry says the Vunisea Hospital mortuary is among nine mortuary upgrade projects approved by the Government Tender Board across the country.
The issue gained widespread attention after a social media post by David Vasu Vuniwai went viral, highlighting the challenges families have faced due to the lack of a functioning mortuary.
Vuniwai, who hails from Kadavu, alleged that early last year, after a relative lost a baby following a short illness, the family was informed that the baby's body would be held by Police pending a post-mortem examination.
According to him, another family member travelled to Vunisea the following day and was shocked to find the baby's body allegedly placed inside an esky packed with ice.
He also claimed that around the same period, the body of a church pastor had to be transported by boat to Suva due to the lack of proper mortuary facilities in Kadavu.
Vuniwai also shared his personal experience following the death of his mother a few weeks ago.
He says his mother passed away on a Sunday evening and was buried the following morning because there was no functioning mortuary available in Kadavu, and that he was unable to attend her burial.
He stressed that while families who wish to bury their loved ones immediately should continue to have that option, those wanting to wait for relatives travelling from Suva, New Zealand, Australia or elsewhere should also be able to do so.
He is urging the Government to repair the mortuary as soon as possible, saying no family should be forced to rush funeral arrangements because there is no alternative available.
The Ministry says the Vunisea Hospital mortuary is currently non-operational due to challenges in maintaining a consistent power supply at the Vunisea Government Station.
They say that as part of the approved upgrade works, the existing mortuary unit will be removed and the infrastructure renovated.
The project will also include the supply, installation and commissioning of a new two-berth mortuary unit and associated modern equipment.
The Ministry says a new switchboard and circuit breakers will be installed, including waterproof power points, while staff will receive training to maintain and operate the new facilities.
They say each of the nine approved mortuary projects is expected to take between six and eight months to complete following the signing of contracts and the release of initial payments.
The Ministry has also expressed its sympathies to members of the public in Kadavu for the inconvenience and difficulties caused when making arrangements for the burial of loved ones.
