Nepal's mortuaries overflow with unidentified bodies amid storage crisis

Nepal's hospitals are struggling with a severe lack of space for unidentified and unclaimed bodies, holding 788 remains nationwide. Police adhere to established procedures for identification and locating relatives, but hospitals cannot preserve bodies for extended periods due to limited mortuary capacity. This situation falls far short of international standards, which recommend preservation for up to 12 years to allow families ample time to find missing loved ones.

Since fiscal year 2013-14, Nepal Police have recovered 1,634 unidentified bodies. Of these, 133 were identified and returned to families, 84 were allocated to teaching hospitals for medical research, and 629 were cremated or buried. The remaining 788 are still in hospital mortuaries, awaiting identification or final disposal.

Deputy Inspector General Abi Narayan Kafle emphasized that police maintain detailed records for every unidentified body, which can significantly aid identification if families actively search them. Police also publish photographs and details on a public online portal. However, the primary constraint remains the insufficient infrastructure for long-term preservation.

Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu exemplifies the problem, with 80 unidentified bodies and an annual intake of around 50, while its mortuary capacity is only 150. This lack of space forces a quicker disposal process than ideal, complicating efforts to reunite families with their missing members.

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The police are always the first to arrive at the scene and complete all preliminary legal procedures. We maintain complete records of the deceased. If families looking for missing relatives examine these records carefully, identification becomes significantly easier.