The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has sought another Rs. 44 lakh to complete the ongoing construction of a modern mortuary.
According to a G.O., Rs. 1.82 crore was initially allotted for civil works, generator, air-conditioning equipment and executive chair besides Rs. 18 lakh for machineries and equipment.
Once completed, the new mortuary would have facilities that would aid police inquiry as well as enhance the learning experience of medical students, Hospital Dean A. Edwin Joe told The Hindu here on Sunday.
The additional funds were primarily for the cold storage facility, which would accommodate 30 bodies, a dumb-lift to transport the corpses and a generator.
The existing mortuary can accommodate 18 bodies.
Among the new facilities being introduced in the upcoming mortuary was a demonstration room with audiovisual facilities to conduct classes and an autopsy viewing gallery to enable the judiciary to watch the process in sensitive cases. The post-mortem examination would be conducted on the second floor where ample scope had been created for natural lighting, which was important to get the best possible results, said Dr. Edwin who was the Head of CMCH Forensic Sciences Department between 2004 and 2010.
An inquest room has been set aside solely for police and judicial inquiry and for police to prepare the requisition of autopsy.
A waiting shed for attenders and a separate parking space for the hearse has also been set up along with five rooms for the doctors and staff.
Further, Dr. Edwin said that the mortuary was located away from the other wards and satisfied all the norms of the Medical Council of India.
