The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Elder Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, has demanded higher professional standards in the management of government-owned mortuaries across the state, stressing the need for proper care and handling of the dead.
Ayuk made the call on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during a stakeholder meeting with managers of government-owned mortuaries and health facilities in Calabar, where issues concerning the administration and management of mortuary services were reviewed.
He said the state government remained committed to improving healthcare delivery and strengthening systems that promote effective service delivery, proper supervision and adherence to established health and safety standards.
The Commissioner urged managers to ensure that mortuary operations complied with approved procedures, noting that lapses in the handling and preservation of corpses could expose workers, relatives and members of the public to avoidable health and environmental risks.
“We want to appreciate you for what we are working together to achieve: quality healthcare. You know the dead have to be taken care of very well, not only the people who are alive, even the dead, the corps, if we are not taking good care of it, we also are running a risk,” Ayuk said.
He stressed that proper mortuary management should cover every stage of the process, from admission and preservation of corpses to their eventual release for burial, while ensuring compliance with relevant health, safety and administrative requirements.
Ayuk also directed managers to submit updated administrative reports and records on the operational status of their facilities to strengthen monitoring, accountability and effective oversight of mortuary services across the state.
The Director of Medical and Dental Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Stephen Agbor, called for strict compliance with the terms governing the use and management of government-owned facilities, including adherence to contractual agreements and financial obligations.
“It is incumbent on us to know that most of these are contracts. The government has the right to withdraw all the MoUs when you are failing in your part. You have to pay those remittances, no matter how small, to government. But many people are not doing it, and it has become worrisome,” Agbor said.
He urged managers to take their contractual responsibilities seriously, particularly the regular remittance of agreed revenues to government, noting that compliance with such obligations remained part of the conditions for continued operation.
The meeting also reviewed administrative updates and reports from government health facilities and mortuaries in General Hospital Ogoja, Ugep, Calabar, Akamkpa and Joint Hospita, Ikom.
The session was attended by the Ministry’s Procurement Officer, Mrs Ajie Achu, alongside other stakeholders, who reviewed operational concerns and considered measures to improve compliance, accountability and professional standards in the management of mortuary services.
By Kingsley Agim
