The Ministry of Health has issued Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) in Transportation and Burial of deaths infected with Covid 19.
Accordingly, the Director of the Health Care Institution where the death occurs should obtain a written request from relatives for burial.
The Director or the authorized person should include the place of burial as Iranathivu in the death declaration form by coordinating with the nominee of the Director-General of Health Services.
This document can be used as a permit to transport the corpse to the burial site. If an inquest is held the burial site has to be included by the Inquirer into sudden death or the Magistrate, concerned in the document issued by them.
The date and time of dispatch of the corpse should be communicated to the relatives and advise to provide a coffin as soon as possible.
The Head of the Health Care Institution must transport the corpse in a coffin to a designated location in Colombo Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (JMO’s Office)or Base Hospital Welikanda where the corpse will be received by the designated officer.
The vehicle transporting the corpse to Nachchikuda pier will leave daily at 5.30 am from the receiving centre and will be handed over to the authority at the Nachchikuda pier.
The burial will take place on an island earmarked by the government in the presence of two relatives and other designated officials.
Before the departure of the corpse, the corpse could be viewed at a designated area and religious activities are permitted at this point. No relative will be permitted to obtain photographs videos or video calls inside the Health care institution.
Two of the relatives who identified the deceased will be permitted to witness the burial at the Nachchikuda pier in the Kilinochchi district.
