Korle Bu Teaching Hospital reports improved mortuary conditions to PAC

Management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has informed Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that storage conditions at its main mortuary have significantly improved. This update follows a June 2025 external audit that uncovered the improper storage of human remains at the facility. During a hearing on October 19, 2026, hospital leadership assured the committee that corrective measures have been implemented to address the previous failings and restore professional standards to the morgue's operations.

Hospital management detailed several technical and administrative enhancements made since the audit. These include increasing the facility's cold-room capacity to prevent overcrowding and the regular use of incinerators for the proper disposal of medical waste. Furthermore, the hospital has provided staff with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure health and safety standards are met. Addressing administrative lapses, management also confirmed that three staff members were suspended following their involvement in the unauthorized release of a body, signaling a stricter approach to internal discipline.

In response to these claims, PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare announced that the committee, in collaboration with the Audit Service, will conduct an unannounced inspection of the mortuary. The move is intended to verify the reported improvements and ensure that the hospital is maintaining the required standards of hygiene and professionalism. While some committee members expressed concern that any prior notification of visits could lead to temporary window-dressing of the facility, the PAC emphasized its commitment to ensuring the deceased are treated with the utmost dignity.

Looking toward long-term solutions, the hospital management noted that a proposed public-private partnership (PPP) is currently being developed to construct a larger, modern mortuary facility. This project aims to permanently resolve the issue of overcrowding and modernize the hospital's forensic and storage capabilities. For now, the PAC remains vigilant, stressing that the management of human remains is a matter of public trust and fundamental human rights that must be upheld without compromise.