KUALA LUMPUR – Health and safety standard operating procedures have prevented family and friends from bidding a proper final farewell to Covid-19 victims.
Aware of this emotional burden, Pusara WPKL and the National Sports Institute in Jalan Raja Muda, Kg Baru here undertook an initiative allowing the digital identification of the deceased.
Operations director Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi said his team understands the difficult situation faced by coronavirus victims’ loved ones.
“Realising this, Pusara WPKL has provided a facility where one heir, in full personal protective gear, is allowed to perform the physical identification in an identification tent, while two other heirs are allowed to view the face of the deceased via a TV screen provided in a special area,” he told Bernama recently.
He said the TV is connected to a high-definition CCTV, allowing heirs to make a recording or place a video call to other family members.
Dr Ahmad Hafizam, a forensic doctor with Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s (HKL) National Institute of Forensic Medicine Department, said Pusara WPKL started operations on July 20, and has so far handled 1,058 bodies of coronavirus victims.
“The 24-hour centre receives the remains from HKL. It is capable of managing the delivery of a maximum 30 bodies of Muslim patients and 20 of non-Muslims at any given time.
“We are equipped with five cold-storage containers that can accommodate 225 bodies, with the current utilisation rate at almost 70%. The handover of Covid-19 victims’ bodies to the next of kin is usually done from 7am to 6pm.”
Mudzakkir Mohd Zahidi, 30, who lost his 54-year-old father Mohd Zahidi Mohd Zain to the coronavirus, said he used the Google Meet feature on his mobile phone during the digital identification process to enable other family members, especially those living far away, to see his dad’s face one last time.
“We are aware that the handling of Covid-19 patients’ remains is different, and there is also the matter of travel restrictions.
“With this method, at least, we could get a last look before the final rites.” – Bernama, August 10, 2021
