Morgue policy set for families whose loved ones died due to COVID

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — LBJ Medical Center has finalized its morgue policy for families, whose loved ones passed way and were diagnosed with COVID-19 and it was publicly presented by the hospital’s acting chief of staff, Dr. Akapusi Ledua during Monday’s COVID-19 Task Force virtual news conference.

The firmed-up policy, signed by the hospital’s chief executive officer (CEO), comes amid concerns from family members, with Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale, urging LBJ to come forth with a policy.

Samoa News understands that some of the issues raised by family members with Talauega regarding morgue policy, is the change of clothes for the deceased and viewing the remains while at the morgue.

During the LBJ presentation at the news conference, Dr. Ledua presented the morgue policy, which he says has been prepared with the collaboration and assistance of its federal partners, who have helped the hospital put the policy together that has already been signed by the hospital CEO.

“The most important component of this policy is the ability of our morticians at LBJ to do embalming of the bodies of our loved ones who died from COVID-19,” he said, and explained the two options under this policy: no embalming and embalming of the deceased.

For embalming the deceased, “we have done this so that we can meet the needs of the public to have an opportunity to view the bodies of your loved ones,” Dr. Ledua explained during the news conference that was streamed live on the KVZK-TV Facebook page.

He explained that, before taking the remains home — if the body is embalmed — the family can have two opportunities for viewing. The first opportunity is during the embalming process when two family members are allowed to view the application of the clothes on to the body of the loved one.

The second opportunity is the viewing of the body on the final day at the hospital, before the remains of the loved ones is taken home.

“As we allow these opportunities to be available and to be provided for the family members, we also would like to make sure that we provide these opportunities in a safe manner to prevent and to minimize the spread of COVID-19 to the family members and to the community,” said Dr. Ledua.

And although the family is given the option of the embalming of their loved one, “we still do not allow the touching and the handling of the bodies of your loved ones, before we release the body from the morgue,” he pointed out.

For the “no embalming” protocol, Dr. Ledua said the opportunity to view the body is limited only to the day the family will be taking the remains home. He explained that three members of the family are allowed to view the body on that final day and will be given time, 30 minutes, to view the body before taking the body home.

He said family members would be provided details of the morgue policy at the hospital.

Lt. Gov. Talauega shared during the news conference, an online question send to the task force, that asked about allowing a family member with the patient in the COVID ward when the patient’s time is near.

He asked Dr. Ledua, if there is any consideration by LBJ allowing a family member to say goodbye to a family member in the COVID ward, in their final hour.

“Right now that is not something that we are doing,” was Dr. Ledua’s response.  He noted that for those admitted to the COVID ward, the hospital policy has been, “we can only allow family members if there is a medical need, recommended by the physician who is taking care of the patient.”

He noted the recent Bluesky Communications donation of four Samsung Galaxy iPad tablets to LBJ specifically for the COVID Ward, to provide patients the means to contact their families while in isolation.

Dr. Ledua said the donated tablets can also be used to communicate with family members during the final hour or final day of the COVID ward patient. And expressed appreciation to Bluesky for the donation.

He also expressed thanks and appreciation to LBJ’s federal partners who have helped put together information on mortalities since the COVID-19 surge. And he acknowledged the work of Dr. Thane Hancock and other federal partners as they have given LBJ a “preliminary COVID 19 mortality analysis that we will be reviewing and will be giving us important information that we need to know” and will also “help us, as we move forward from here on COVID deaths.”

As previously reported by Samoa News, Dr. Hancock, an Epidemiologist with the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing “virtual epidemiologist support.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Ledua announced that in addition to the support and assistance from federal partners, LBJ also received assistance from “friends” at other jurisdictions — such as Palau and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — that proved needed equipment.