**Policy Summary: Postmortem Facility Standards and Practices in India**
This policy addresses concerns regarding the integrity of autopsy reports, worker safety in morgues, and infrastructure in postmortem facilities across India.
**Autopsy Report Manipulation:** The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) does not maintain central data on autopsy report manipulation. However, to promote transparency and minimize manipulation risks, the MoHFW has integrated the Medico Legal Examination Postmortem Reports System (MedLEaPR) software for postmortem reporting.
**Morgue Worker Safety:** The Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS), under the MoHFW, has issued guidelines for handling dead bodies of infectious diseases in morgues and during autopsy procedures. These guidelines aim to protect morgue workers from infections like tuberculosis and HIV. In Central Government Institutions, morgue workers involved in handling mortal remains are trained in Universal Precautions and provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks, surgical gloves, disposable gowns, eye shields, gum boots, and HIV kits for confirmed serum biohazard cases.
**Infrastructure in Postmortem Facilities:** The Dte.GHS, MoHFW, has formulated Minimum Standards for mortuaries and postmortems under the Clinical Establishment Registration and Regulation Act, 2010, which has been concurred by the National Council for Clinical Establishments (NCCE) for notification. Postmortem examination tables and autopsy halls are cleaned and fumigated regularly. New equipment is procured periodically to maintain optimal infrastructure in postmortem facilities.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: A department of the Government of India responsible for health policy.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Shri Parshottambhai Rupala: Member of Parliament who raised the question about postmortem facilities.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who provided the answer.
Medico Legal Examination Postmortem Reports System (MedLEaPR): Software integrated by MoHFW for Postmortem reporting to ensure transparency and integrity.
Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS): A directorate under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that issued guidelines for handling dead bodies and autopsy procedures.
Clinical Establishment Registration and Regulation Act, 2010: An act under which the Minimum Standards for mortuary and postmortem were formulated.
National Council for Clinical Establishments (NCCE): The council that concurred with the Minimum Standards for mortuary and postmortem formulated by Dte.GHS, MoHFW.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH & FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH & FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2299
TOBE ANSWERED ON01ST AUGUST,2025
FACILITIES OFPOST-MORTEM
2299.SHRIPARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Union Government in partnership with State
Governmentstotacklemanipulationissues concerningautopsyreportsof humanremains,
State/UT-wise;
(b) the actionstaken/implementedbythe Union Government alongside StateGovernmentsto
prevent morgue workers from conducting post-mortems without proper protective
equipment, which puts them at risk of severe infections such as tuberculosis and HIV,
State/UT-wise; and
(c) the initiatives taken/proposed to be taken/introduced by the Government to ensure
optimal infrastructure inpost-mortem facilities inhospitals
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) : No such information is maintained centrally on this subject. However, to ensure
transparency,integrityofPost-Mortem documentationandminimizetherisk ofmanipulation,
MoHFW has integrated Medico Legal Examination & Post-mortem Reports System
(MedLEaPR)Software for Post-mortem reporting.
(b) and (c) : Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS) under the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare has issued guidelines from time to time for handling of dead bodies of
infectious disease in morgues and during autopsy procedures. The Minimum Standards for
mortuary and post-mortem formulated by Dte.GHS, MoHFW under the Clinical
Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 has been concurred by National
Council for ClinicalEstablishments (NCCE) for notification.
In Central Government Institutions, morgue workers, involved in the handling of
mortal remains, includingthose assisting inpost-mortem proceduresare adequately trainedin
following Universal Precautions for every case. Morgue workers are provided Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks, surgical gloves, disposable gowns, eye shields,
gum boots and HIV kits (for confirmed serum bio-hazard cases). To uphold infection
control standards, Post-Mortem Examination Tables and the Autopsy Halls are cleaned after
each case and periodically fumigated. New equipment are procured at regular intervals to
ensure optimalinfrastructure inpost-mortem facilities.
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