Joseph says the government is moving to establish a public morgue as part of broader efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and reduce the costs associated with storing bodies at private funeral homes.

Health Minister Michael Joseph says the government is working to operationalize a public morgue, arguing that the facility would reduce costs to the state and ease reliance on private funeral homes.

Speaking on Pointe FM’s On Pointe programme, Joseph identified the project as one of several healthcare priorities currently being pursued by his ministry.

The minister said the government is seeking to bring a new autopsy suite into operation while simultaneously establishing a public morgue.

“One of the things we’re looking at is the operationalizing of our new autopsy suite and getting that open so we can have a public morgue,” Joseph said.

He noted that the absence of a public facility has resulted in bodies being stored at funeral homes, creating ongoing expenses for the government.

“Again, that reduces that expenditure on our public purse, on the health budget, and we can divert those funds to more critical areas that we can expand services and do a lot more in the health sector,” he said.

Joseph said the initiative forms part of a wider effort to improve efficiency within the healthcare system and better allocate limited resources.

The minister has also highlighted the opening of a cancer treatment centre, plans for a cardiac unit, expanded mental health services and the development of a cognitive behavioural centre among the major projects currently being advanced by the Ministry of Health.

The government has not yet announced a timeline for the opening of the public morgue.