State procures 177 mortuary freezers to upgrade govt hospital facilities

Vijayawada: In a bid to strengthen mortuary infrastructure in government hospitals, the state government is procuring 177 new mortuary freezer chambers for secondary healthcare facilities at a cost of Rs 6.57 crore.

Each unit, costing up to Rs 3.71 lakh, is capable of preserving two bodies. The new freezer chambers are being supplied to 119 Community Health Centres (CHCs), 49 Area Hospitals and eight District Hospitals, replacing outdated and non-functional equipment that had been causing operational difficulties.Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said the initiative would improve the handling and preservation of bodies brought to government hospitals for postmortem examinations, including victims of road accidents, suicides and unidentified persons.

According to the minister, 150 freezer chambers have already been dispatched to hospitals, while the remaining units will be supplied shortly. He added that the government is also upgrading mortuary rooms to ensure they are equipped for the installation and operation of the new freezer chambers.The minister said the initiative would help improve medico-legal services and ensure dignified preservation of bodies until postmortem examinations and identification procedures are completed.Secondary health director K V N Chakradhar Babu further told the health minister on the transportation of the freezer chambers and the arrangements being made for their installation across hospitals.