No back-up at AIIMS morgue,autopsies on hold during power cuts

“If there is a power cut in the middle of a post mortem,we cannot stop the procedure. We wait for 15-20 minutes for the power to return. But now we have cuts that last up to 2 hours. We cannot leave a body for beyond 30 minutes in the middle of an autopsy,” another doctor from the department said.

Administrative authorities at AIIMS,however,said there has been no complaint from the Forensic Medicine department. “I have not received any official complaint from the morgue in-charge or the doctors from the Forensic Medicine department. Wherever there is a need for power back-up in patient care services,we make all possible efforts to provide it,” said Dr D K Sharma,medical superintendent at AIIMS.

The cold storage facility in the hospital,meanwhile,has power supply from three different sources. “If there is a cut in one phase,the other two can hold on. So,thankfully we do not have any problems there,” said a doctor.

Doctors said power has been interrupted for for long duration for at least two autopsies in the week.

According to officials from the Engineering department,the frequency of cuts has increased this year because of the ongoing renovation work.

“The CTVS department and the dental wing are under renovation. The power consumption here is much more than usual,” an officer said.

Since the institute’s establishment in 1956,the mortuary has never had its own power back-up system.