By Ndivhuwo Mukwevho
- Families at Limpopo’s Elim Hospital must move deceased loved ones to private mortuaries as broken fridges cause rapid decomposition.
- Elim Hospital faces severe issues, including water shortages, broken X-ray machines, and ageing infrastructure.
Families of deceased patients at Elim hospital in Limpopo are being told to remove their relatives’ bodies and take them to private mortuaries because the hospital’s mortuary fridges have broken down.
Russell Chauke, from nearby Mpheni village, had to urgently move his cousin’s corpse after being informed by a family friend working at the hospital. “My cousin passed away last Thursday. We were still deciding on an undertaker when we were told the fridges weren’t working and bodies were decomposing fast,” said Chauke.
When his family arrived at the hospital on Friday, the corpse was already in poor condition. “The smell was unbearable. The worst part is that no hospital official informed us of the problem,” he said.
Elim hospital is grappling with multiple challenges beyond malfunctioning mortuary fridges, including water shortages and broken essential equipment. For months, the X-ray machine has been out of service, forcing patients to seek help elsewhere.
The hospital’s water crisis has persisted for over seven years. Boreholes on-site have dried up, and the municipal pipeline is unusable after being tampered with by nearby residents who also face water shortages.
Chauke called on the provincial health department to intervene urgently. “We had to pay to move my cousin to a private mortuary. This fridge issue could go unresolved for months like the other problems at Elim,” he said.
A nurse, speaking anonymously, described the situation as a disaster. “With the heat wave, bodies are decomposing fast. If this continues, the smell will make it impossible to work, and families won’t recognise their loved ones,” said the nurse.
Shirly village resident Elijah Mudzanani criticised the hospital’s management. “This is not a new issue. The fridges break often, and nothing is ever done,” he said.
Limpopo health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana acknowledged the problem, blaming it on ageing infrastructure. “We are aware of the technical problem with the fridges, which is common in Vhembe hospitals. However, mortuaries are only meant to hold bodies temporarily,” he said.
Pictured above: Elim hospital.
Source: Ndivhuwo Mukwevho
