GMOA says Quarantine Act, WHO guidelines allow cremation and burial of COVID-19 dead

• Writes to DGHS asking him to decide on best course of action after consulting experts
• Says GMOA members have made representations in this regard
• Health Ministry guidelines allow only cremation at present

The GMOA yesterday wrote to Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe asking him to consult a team of experts in relevant areas such as public health, virology, judicial medicine, legal, and soil analysis, and decide on the best course of action with regard to the disposal of the bodies of those who die 

of COVID-19. 

The GMOA said that the Quarantine Act allowed the option of both cremation and burial as methods of disposal of bodies while WHO guidelines also say both methods can be allowed for disposing of bodies.

“Several of our members have made representations to us, regarding the method for disposal of bodies of COVID-19 patients, the GMOA said, adding that according to the Quarantine Act, the final authority regarding the decision on the method of disposing of bodies lay with the DGHS. 

In the Provisional Clinical Practice Guidelines on COVID-19 Suspected and Confirmed Patients released by the Health Ministry on 31 March, bodies of those who die following being confirmed of Corona Viral Infection (COVI) can only be cremated. 

However there have been representations from members of the Muslim community to allow burials.