Ebola: Ondo State to enforce cremation of dead bodies

Ondo state is set to enforce a law in support of cremation of dead bodies as part of measures to arrest the threat posed by the ravaging Ebola Virus Disease.

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday, September 9, passed the law for the disposal of bodies by cremation and for other matters connected.

The bill was presented to the Assembly by the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, last week.
Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun said the committee on Monday organised a public hearing to enable all stakeholders have an input into the bill before the passage.

According to him, the introduction of the law would go a long way in checking the spread of contagious diseases in the state, thereby complementing the efforts of the state government in the health sector.

 Oloyelogun also said the law had taken care of any hazard that may occur to any health personnel in the line of duty at the crematorium in such way that they would not be exposed to any contact with the remains of any person that died of contagious disease.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele, said the law was in response to the Ebola Virus scourge. He said it would make the bodies of affected people properly disposed.

She said the move became necessary since experts had said that one of the ways of preventing the spread of the disease is proper disposal of bodies.

She, however, noted that the law would remain operational even after the world overcomes the Ebola scourge as it would give people choice over cremation.