Banyumas Lack Of Coffins For COVID-19 Bodies

Illustration of a coffin craftsman/ Antara

JAKARTA - Hospitals in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, lack coffins to bury the bodies of COVID-19 patients.

"Yes, there was a shortage. In the past, I was assisted by Eka Pralaya (Eka Pralaya's Death Assistance Foundation, Purwokerto, ed.) every month for free. At that time, how many died in one month at most, not many, "said Deputy Regent of Banyumas Sadewo Tri Lastiono in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, reported by Antara, Thursday, July 15.

However, after the death toll from COVID-19 soared, he said, his party felt bad if they had to keep asking for help.

According to him, the current demand for coffins in Banyumas currently averages 30 sets per day, both for burying residents who died in Banyumas and Banyumas residents who died outside the area and will be buried in their hometowns.

Therefore, he continued, his party asked Kadin, Gapensi, Hipmi, as well as entrepreneurs and various organizations in Banyumas Regency to help procure the coffin.

"I raised some directly, they can buy their own coffins and then give them to hospitals. Like yesterday some were given to Banyumas Hospital, Prof Dr Margono Hospital Purwokerto, Purwokerto Islamic Hospital," he said.

In addition, he said, his party also provided an account number belonging to YPK Eka Pralaya to entrepreneurs who wanted to distribute assistance for the procurement of coffins.

Furthermore, the Deputy Regent said that apart from coffins, the current problem is the limited number of teams for retrieving the bodies of COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

"(Hospital) Ajibarang has tried to help the hospital's restoration team by gathering kayim (modin) to help. But wani or not (dare or not, ed.) that's the problem," he said.

Related to this, he said the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkompimda) of Banyumas Regency would immediately discuss the problem of the needs of the funeral team.