The disturbing way of death in Zimbabwe

A chilling experience in a place that is no longer properly chilled

If you don't have a strong stomach, then perhaps you should skip what follows. Because today I am writing about the mortuary at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Once this was a facility renowned throughout Southern Africa for high standards of hygiene. Now it is a place where the difficult way of life for the average Zimbabwean becomes an appalling and disgusting way of death.

Many relatives who come to claim the bodies of their dear departed don't even get through the door. They stop outside, repelled, even nauseated. They clasp handkerchiefs to their faces, their natural distress re-doubled by what they are encountering. I must be frank and tell you what that is.

It is the stench of death. The mortuary is not only grossly overcrowded, it is now dysfunctional. And the result is often too much to bear.

On the pretence of trying to find a fictional death relative, a friendly mortuary attendant took me into one of two "cold rooms" where the bodies are kept. But these cold rooms were not cold. Lack of electricity means that refrigeration cannot be maintained. The stench, which was bad outside, is redoubled as we enter.

"This is what we experience every day, but we are used to it now," the attendant, Elson Marufu, told me. "These cold rooms simply don't function any more."

The rooms were packed, with some bodies heaped on the floor, and some stacked on large trays. Identification tags had fallen off the corpses. I was told that there were maggots in the place, but fortunately I saw none.

What has led to this grim and distressing situation? Apparently the death rate has increased dramatically, owing to starvation and disease. The result is massive overcrowding in the facility, even though many relatives no longer bring their dead in, preferring to go ahead with their own funeral arrangements.

Meanwhile unclaimed bodies mount up. But the mortuary does at least have a way of coping with them. Every month, Marufu told me, it donates at least 20 cadavers to the University of Zimbabwe Medical School.

This is a short posting because my visit to the mortuary was short. I left as soon as I possibly could. Now, well away, fresh air has never smelled sweeter.

Comments

[carlos]

the University students should be ashemed of of practicing medicine on people killed by Mugabe
but they have no option i hope
maybe u chaps cant wait to have Mugabe's body

[Amadou S Koora]

The events unfolding in Zimbabwe should constitute a big scar on the conscience of any well meaning human being irrespective of ones status in life. I know it is a difficult moment, but President mugabe should take heart and just step aside. He cannot just pull with the current trends in global geopolitics.

No what matter how well he intends for his country, the costs of what we are seeing are so huge that he cannot compensate it with anything better for his people. He has done enough and has now outlive his utility and should pack up. Apart from god, there is no kingdom with a permanent king. There were Kings that came and went and so shall be the Mugabe era. Let him allow history to have a nice closing chapter for him. Where are the Nyeres. Idi Amin was removed for a less serious offence. African leaders should stand up and be counted.

[Kathleen sampat]

ALL the African leaders should hang their heads in shame for being such hypocrites. They pretend to love Mr Mugabe but deep down are enjoying the downfall of Zimbabwe and are making fortunes on the misery of that country.I wish Mr Mugabe would wake up to that fact, pull his country up and be the envy of Africa once more.

[Kunle Olusanjo]

Well, this is a terrible situation in Africa. This is an unfortunate situation that should not happen not now that the whole world is globa village.
Let me urge all Zimbabweans to stand up against this inhumanity. How many people will Mugabe killed before he is brought down.
The situation in Africa is such that we are all afraid to die but that is what happens to us eventually. It is important to know that it is better to die fighting for a cause than to continue dieing gradually as it is happening in Zimbabwe at this moment.
We have gone through this kind of situation before in Nigeria, some people stood up against the government. Things were actually rough and a lot of died in the process but the people won at the end which goes to confirm the saying that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
If this can get to Mugabe, please tell him that he is a human being and he will definitely die one day, he should fear God and repent before it is too late. I am sure God will deliver the people of Zimbabwe one day and he will actually be called upon to give account of his stewardship.
Let me call on Zimbabwe people to rise up against this government. We your african brothers are solidly behind you and we shall try our best to make enough noise that will attract western nations and the united nations to get involve in solving this problem.
I wish you guys best of luck in the struggle and pray that the good Lord will give you strength and wisdom to overcome this terrible situation you are going through presently

[wayne veldman]

For all of you out there could you stop calling that idiot MUGABE MR. He has not retained the privilege to keep that title. Get rid of him which ever way necesary.

[Bob]

Shut the fuck up.