Health Alert: Uncovered mass grave at Awudome Cemetery pose health risk

• Posted on September 21, 2013September 21, 2013
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

Awful stench from decomposing bodies in an uncovered mass grave at the Awudome Cemetery in Accra is creating a health concern but managers of the cemetery say they are waiting for more bodies before they cover the pit.

Tens of bodies were dumped in the mass grave last week by police and left uncovered. The stench from the decomposing bodies is causing discomfort for those who live in the area and motorists who use the Awudome road.

Cemetery officials say the Police Hospital and the Medical School have been dumping bodies in the pit, the last being nine days ago. They, however say they are waiting for more bodies from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital before they cover the pit.

Joy News’ Manasseh Azure Awuni who visited the mass burial site reports that cemetery officials cite scarcity of land as the reason for leaving the pit open for days.

“When I approached the attendants of the cemetery, the head denied the existence of any such mass burial pit. But I discovered the pit and led them there,” he narrated.

According to Manasseh, attendants of the cemetery say they have had to contend with the repugnant stench from the decomposing bodies.

“The head of the cemetery who gave his name as Paul initially downplayed the extent of the problem. But by the time I finished, he was calling some young men to put a little soil on the bodies to cover the blood and to deal with the stench a bit,” he recounted.

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