The temporary closure of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital’s mortuary for refurbishment has ignited a wave of frustration and concerns from bereaved families and mortuary workers alike.
Richard Kofi Jordan, the General Secretary of the Mortuary Workers Union, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, calling for a faster pace of maintenance work at the facility.
Speaking to Prime News on ABC News GH on February 4, Jordan said, “It’s no news to me though. Maintenance work at Korle Bu must be fast.”
Jordan further emphasized that, based on his own research, “there will be decongestion in the coming days,” as many families are scrambling to bury their loved ones.
He also lamented the dire state of most public mortuaries, stressing that they are severely neglected and in desperate need of attention.
The refurbishment at Korle Bu, which started after the announcement on February 3, 2025, is expected to last six weeks, during which time the facility will not be able to accept fresh bodies or Brought-in-Dead (BID) cases.
However, the restriction does not apply to patients who have passed away within the hospital.
Public Relations Officer of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Mr. Mustapha Salifu, in an exclusive interview with ABC News GH defended the move, explaining that the refurbishment is necessary for improving the mortuary’s service delivery and aligning it with required health and safety standards.
Salifu assured families that if the press release didn’t reach them, the hospital would personally contact them to arrange for the collection of the bodies.
