Post-Mortem Can Now Be Performed After Sunset: Centre govt

The Union Health Ministry on Monday revised the post-mortem protocols to allow for conducting the procedure after sunset. Apart from aiding the family of the deceased, the revision was also aimed at promoting organ donation and transplant as organs could be harvested in the stipulated time window after the procedure, said the Ministry in a release.

It noted that the change followed multiple references received from various sources and in line with the government’s commitment to promoting ease of living by reducing the burden imposed due to compliance of government processes.

In view of the rapid advancement and improvement in technology, especially the availability of required lighting and infrastructure, performing night-time post-mortem in hospitals was now feasible, it pointed out.

The protocol stipulated that post-mortem for organ donation be taken up on priority and conducted even after sunset at the hospitals that have the infrastructure for conducting such procedure on a regular basis.

The fitness and adequacy of infrastructure etc. shall be assessed by the hospital in charge to ensure that there was no dilution of evidentiary value. It was also to be ensured by the facility that video recording shall be done for all such post-mortem at night to rule out any suspicion and preserved for future reference for legal purposes, it stated.

However, cases under categories such as homicide, suicide, rape, decomposed bodies and suspected foul play should not be subjected for post-mortem during night unless there was a law and order situation. All Ministries/departments concerned and all State governments and Union Territories have been notified of the change in protocol, the release added.

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