Night Postmortems Stall Due to Staff Shortage

An acute shortage of personnel is currently impeding the implementation of night-time postmortem examinations in Kerala, according to Health Minister K Muraleedharan. While the previous government initiated steps, the necessary arrangements remain incomplete. The High Court has ruled that staff cannot be compelled to perform night autopsies without adequate staffing and infrastructure.

The High Court had previously directed that night postmortem facilities be established at medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, and the Kasaragod General Hospital. This directive aligns with the Union health ministry's revised protocol, which permits night examinations in equipped hospitals to streamline organ donation and speed up the handover of bodies to relatives.

Kerala had issued an order allowing night-time postmortems even before the Centre's revised guidelines. The state's policy was specifically designed to promote organ donation by facilitating postmortems after organ retrieval in cases of certified brain death, ensuring a more efficient process.