Ondo to ban funeral undertakers in hospital’s vicinity

By DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE—ONDO State government has express- ed concern over the activities of coffin sellers and hearse operators within the vicinity of its hospitals across the state.

Specifically, the Health Commissioner, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju said in Akure that the state government has concluded arrangements to promulgate a law banning such businesses within the hospitals.

Adeyanju said the  government was greatly disturbed by the advertisement of death accessories to those who need encouragement to survive what brought them to the hospital in the first instance.

He spoke during the launching of a programme tagged: Working Together for Health’, aimed at coordinating activities of health workers to ensure maximum service delivery, at the state hospital and all the state’s health institutions.

According to him, “it is highly disturbing to see advertisements of coffins at our hospital gates.

“What message are the promoters of these businesses sending to the sick who should be in the right frame of mind to receive treatment, the relatives who brought the sick and the general ambience surrounding our hospitals?

“You should not be seen promoting death where we are encouraging and sustaining life.”

Dr Adeyanju pointed out that “a bill seeking to ban the sales of these items would soon be sent to the House of Assembly for passage. The executive bill will outlaw the sales of coffins, promotion of the business of undertakers and location of offices of morbid ventures near health facilities and non-compliance would attract penalties from the Courts of law.

He said that the law had already been drafted by the office of the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and that the new bill will be one of the first to be presented to the legislators in the coming year.