As the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEJ) continues to grapple with 65 unclaimed cadavers on its hands, members of the public have expressed differing views on how the bodies should be handled, with suggestions ranging from Government-funded burials and cremation to donation for medical education and scientific research.
Several people interviewed said cremation offered the most practical solution to reducing the backlog of unclaimed bodies.
One woman who asked not to be named said while cremation was the preferred option, the donation of bodies for medical education or scientific research should depend on the condition of the remains.
A man who also requested anonymity also supported cremation, arguing it would be less costly than burial.
“They should send them up Coral Ridge to get cremated. It is the best option and it is cheaper. Let the Government send them up there because if they bury them it will cost more money,” he said.
He added that many families simply could not afford the funeral expenses, which might explain why some bodies remain unclaimed for extended periods.
Others who weighed in on this issue, however, believed Government should ensure the bodies receive traditional burials.
One man said families should also be held responsible for the body’s final preparation, pointing out that if they failed to do so after a reasonable period, the Government should arrange for the bodies to be buried. While he supported the idea of body donation, he questioned whether cadavers left in the morgue for long periods would still be suitable for scientific use.
A man who gave his name as Grantley shared a similar view, saying unclaimed bodies should be treated with dignity through burial rather than dissection.
“Cutting up bodies and organs, I’m not for that. They should be buried the normal way. Call the families and if you can’t reach them the Government is to bury them,” he said.
Some believed body donation could help address the backlog while also benefiting medical training and research.
Michael Hinds said he supported this method but strongly opposed cremation.
“We trying to get away from the fire, so why put us inside the fire,” he said.
He argued that once families were given sufficient time to claim a body, the Government should have the authority to determine its final disposition.
“I believe it should still happen because you give the families a period of time to claim it and if that time expires then the Government has a right to do with them what they want to do with them,” he said.
Archibald Cadogan also questioned why the bodies remained in storage and suggested they should instead be used to support medical research.
One woman questioned the reasons for the backlog, asking whether the bodies remained at the hospital because families had not claimed them or because post-mortem examinations had not yet been completed.
She also noted that many of the deceased might have relatives living overseas who were unaware of the death of their loved one.
While acknowledging that body donation was common in some countries, she said implementing such a system in Barbados could prove more challenging.
(AJ)
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