BODIES of 700 neonatal infants that have been lying at Harare Central Hospital for over seven months were finally buried on Friday following the intervention of private undertakers Nyaradzo Funeral Services.
Report by Kupakwashe Makonye
Nyaradzo, which specialises in body removals, mortuary, undertaker services and burials, provided coffins for the infants with the Harare City Council chipping in with free burial space while the Registrar-General (RG)’s Office’s issued burial orders at no cost.
Harare Central Hospital yesterday said the intervention by Nyaradzo, the council and RG’s Office had come at a critical time.
“Because of the breakdown of our incinerator and other reasons, we have been unable to expeditiously dispose of the neonatal infants, resulting in the bodies accumulating in our mortuaries,” said the hospital in a statement yesterday.
“We are grateful for the support received from Nyaradzo, City of Harare and the RG’s Office – their involvement has enabled us to getaround what had appeared to be an insurmountable task.”
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The hospital had found itself overwhelmed with the increasing number of corpses of newborn babies after its incinerator broke down.
Nyaradzo Funeral Services managing director Mavis Mataranyika said the company was touched after reading about the desperate situation at Harare Central Hospital.
The story was broken by NewsDay’s sister paper The Standard a fortnight ago.
“Nyaradzo is all about giving decency to humanity whoever they are and wherever they come from,” Mataranyika said.
“Neonatal infants are no less human beings than any other human being, therefore they also deserve decency and dignity in the manner we handle their burials.
“When human beings fail to give decency and dignity to their dear departed, they lose their decency and dignity as well.
“By doing what we have done with our partners, we have restored decency and dignity to all human beings.
“After all, Nyaradzo Funeral Services is in the business of doing exactly that.”