Challenges of managing COVID-19 burials

These unsung heroes have to brave unpredictable weather, heavy rains, water pool in grave pits and getting tents blown off in a storm as among the major challenges to give the dead victims a dignified send-off.

Taking cognizance of the plight of poor families, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been attending to such burials over the past one year.

Calling themselves as Ipoh Charity Team (Amal Team), they worked closely with the hospitals to give the remains of victims the proper rituals and burial.

Its representative Syahriman Shaari said they have managed 20 bodies in Perak since the outbreak of the pandemic last year in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) for burial at Jalan Bendahara Islamic Cemetery here about three kilometres from Ipoh.

"As soon as we received the call, we have to bury the body immediately but heavy rain can cause this process to take a long time due to the grave pit being flooded or the tent being blown away by the storm.

"It would take an hour just to remove the stagnant water before the body is buried with the task of spraying disinfectant around the grave," he said when met by Bernama recently.

Sharing further, he said the handling of the remains of those who died as a result of the pandemic was carried out together with six members of Amal Team Ipoh, the MOH and the ustaz and it was different from normal deaths.

According to him, it is quite different as the shrouded body is bathed in a tayamum (dry using earth) manner, without the involvement of family members who could not even have a last look of the victim.

His team is also recommended to sunbathe for a few minutes in the heat of the sun every day to kill the virus due to exposure to COVID-19 despite wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and undergoing a decontamination screening process (DECON).

Syahriman said his team try to manage the remains as best as they could like their own family members especially since the next-of-kin were not allowed to be involved or near the burial pit during the funeral which is carried out under strict police watch.

"We try to do our best and then share the video recording of the funeral to the next-of-kin since it should have been done by the family members themselves," he said.

Therefore, he advised the public not to underestimate the dangers of COVID-19 which has claimed many lives by adhering to the standard operating procedures set by the government to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

Amal Team Ipoh, he said, is an NGO that offers free funeral management services to asnaf families to ease their burden while its operations are funded through public contributions.