By Staff Writer
The mortuary overload currently facing the TTM Hospital is a problem that will remain in the future unless there is a change in law on the performing of autopsies.
Legally only forensic pathologists are allowed to undertake these specialised surgeries to determine the cause of death in incidents where the police are involved.
These are the cases now clogging up the mortuary while the Ministry of Health struggles to find overseas medical examiners willing to come to Samoa.
The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, is suggesting a way around the problem by amending the law to include ‘or a general pathologist’ to perform the surgery.
“We used to have Dr. Faleniu Asaua, a general pathologist, doing the work in the past but the law is specific on a forensic pathologist when it is a police case,” Leausa explained.
“Some of these police cases can easily handled by a general pathologist but that is not possible for now with the specific wording of the law.”
Many are reluctant under COVID-19 restrictions to be confined in managed isolation for three weeks when they arrive.
Government is reportedly aware of the suggestion already but it will have to wait until after the general elections, so the earliest for any changes possible is next year 2022.
The current urgency to clear the mortuary depends on attempts being made to bring in a New Zealand forensic pathologist in a few weeks time.
The earliest if that falls through is a Chinese forensic pathologist arriving with a team of doctors arriving on a chartered flight direct from China by the end of April.
Leausa said China’s help was requested and have agreed to help.
“We also have our own hospital patients to attend to when families want to confirm cause of death in an autopsy so we need the space inside the mortuary.”
A maximum of 18 bodies can be kept at the mortuary at the same time.