Binga Families Forced to Improvise as Mortuary Crisis Deepens at District Hospital

HARARE – Families in Zimbabwe’s remote Binga District are resorting to extreme and improvised methods to preserve the bodies of deceased relatives amid a prolonged breakdown of mortuary services at Binga District Hospital. Residents say the hospital mortuary has been largely non-functional for years, citing persistent electricity outages and unrepaired refrigeration equipment as the main causes.

With no reliable mortuary services, grieving families are turning to unconventional methods to slow decomposition, including covering bodies with wet sand, wrapping them in banana leaves, and, in some cases, using fertiliser. Community members describe the situation as both distressing and undignified.

“We are forced to do what we can under very difficult conditions,” said one resident. “Sometimes we cannot even wait for relatives to arrive.”

Many families are now compelled to bury loved ones within hours, while others attempt to preserve bodies for several days using these improvised techniques, often with limited success.

The crisis has drawn national attention after Fanuel Cumanzala raised the matter in Parliament, formally requesting a response from the Ministry of Health and Child Care. However, the inquiry has reportedly gone unanswered since early March, raising concerns about delays in addressing critical rural health infrastructure challenges.

The mortuary breakdown reflects wider systemic issues at the hospital, including stalled rehabilitation efforts and inadequate infrastructure. Health systems analyst Dr. Miriam Zhou said the situation highlights deep inequalities in service delivery.

“Access to basic services like mortuaries is often taken for granted in urban areas, but in rural districts, infrastructure gaps can create humanitarian challenges,” she said.

The lack of functional mortuary services has disrupted traditional funeral practices and placed emotional and logistical strain on families. Relatives travelling from distant areas such as Bulawayo are often unable to attend burials in time, forcing families to proceed without them.

“This is not just a technical issue it affects dignity, culture and the grieving process,” Dr. Zhou added.

Local leaders and residents are now calling for urgent government intervention to restore mortuary services and improve overall healthcare infrastructure in the district. Public health expert Dr. Tapiwa Moyo said immediate action is needed.

“Fixing refrigeration systems, ensuring reliable power supply, and prioritising rural health facilities must be urgent priorities,” he said.

The situation in Binga underscores the widening gap between policy commitments at the national level and the realities faced by rural communities, where access to essential services remains inconsistent. As pressure mounts, families in Binga continue to navigate the crisis with limited resources, hoping for swift government action to restore dignity in death and relief in grief.

Binga mortuary crisis