Uncertainty surrounds the continued operation of the morgue at the Mandeville Regional Hospital after a directive from Health Minister Rudyard Spencer that staff at the facility should be suspended.

"I don't know what is going to happen but hospitals need a morgue," a senior official of the Southern Regional Health Authority told The Gleaner yesterday.

This was supported by Paulett Elliot, chief executive officer of the hospital, who late yesterday said the morgue remained up and running.

But it was not clear how this would be done based on the instructions of the health minister.

Spencer ordered the suspension of the morgue staff yesterday after reviewing a report from the administration of the hospital on the disappearance of the body of a newborn.

It was discovered that the body, one of a set of twins, could not be found when the parents turned up to collect it in February.

At least five to be suspended

With the health minister's directive, at least five and possibly six morgue staff who were on duty at that time are to be suspended.

"Someone has to be accountable for what happened. We also must ensure that the facility be adequately monitored and the relevant checks and balances put in place so that we do not have another such incident," Spencer said.

According to Spencer, the health ministry will be undertaking an audit of the morgue to "determine the level of compliance with the established protocols".

Yesterday, hospital sources claimed the audit could turn up frightening information which might embarrass the health ministry.

According to the sources, more than 200 bodies of babies are piled up in the morgue and cannot be disposed of because the paperwork had not been completed.

The sources said more than 90 bodies of babies were disposed of the last time around and the problem had been compounded as the incinerator at the hospital had been out of service for the last three months.

Refused to confirm numbers

Elliot admitted that there was a pile-up of bodies but refused to say if the numbers quoted by our sources were correct.

The CEO would neither confirm nor deny the claims.

The Mandeville Regional Hospital has found itself embroiled in controversy before.

In 2002, Pansy Campbell challenged the hospital after she was presented with a body which the administrators claimed was that of her child who died shortly after birth.

Campbell challenged the claim and, almost one year later, DNA tests confirmed the body was not that of 'Baby Pansy'. Despite investigations, it has never been determined what happened to that body.