the mortuary rooms of Marseille hospitals are overflowing

The Public Assistance of Marseille Hospitals (AP-HM) is crumbling under the deaths. The 111 places in the mortuary rooms at Timone and the northern hospital are insufficient to store the bodies of all the deceased, to the point of worrying the unions. As revealed The Marseillaise a strike notice was filed by FO to denounce the storage conditions of certain corpses, which according to the union are found in rooms “which are not refrigerated”, lack of space.

“We started to alert in the spring of 2024, reports FO union delegate Nicolas Sousse to Figaro. We are experiencing episodes of chronic saturation, with flu epidemics or summer heatwaves. The flu epidemic being more significant than other years, it is the small straw that breaks the camel’s back.” In its latest situation update dating from last week, the regional health agency of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur highlighted an intensification of the epidemic in recent weeks, “exceeding the peak recorded in previous years at the same period”.

“We cannot be satisfied with respecting mourning and respecting the care of these people if this is not done in good conditions”reacted this Friday morning at the microphone of France Info the Minister responsible for Health and Access to Care, Yannick Neuder. “This situation is not acceptable.”

A refrigerated truck to store bodies

An internal source at the AP-HM denies the storage of bodies in non-refrigerated rooms, or only with the help of air conditioning as the unions claim. “Some bodies were in the basements, specifies this source. We preferred to put very damaged bodies in lockers rather than a body which is in a lesser state of decomposition.”

“This situation is multifactorial”explains the AP-HM in a press release sent to Figaro, who quotes, “an increase in the number of medico-legal autopsies, an overload at crematoriums, extending treatment times and the updating of death certificates due to a new certificate system”. As a reminder, the AP-HM has 74 mortuary rooms at La Timone and 37 at the Nord Hospital. In detail, 44 of these rooms are reserved for the medico-legal institute, 57 for deaths occurring in hospital and 10 for triggering a White Plan.

However, according to the AP-HM, “hospital death rates remain comparable in January compared to previous years, excluding the Covid period”. “In order to increase the care capacity and guarantee the dignity of the deceased, a refrigerated truck was deployed in addition on a temporary basis as provided for by hospital procedures in exceptional situations”specifies the press release.

Notice of strike suspended

“The truck has already arrived and seven bodies are inside, confirms Nicolas Sousse. Despite this, we are still at saturation.” After a discussion with management on Thursday evening, FO decided to suspend its three-month strike notice, and will lift it permanently “once what has been announced is officially implemented”.

“We were notably promised the purchase of a refrigerated container with 10 to 12 places located near the mortuary chamber and usable as soon as there is a peak of activity, explains Nicolas Sousse. Work to extend the mortuary chambers was also discussed.” A working group will be created to look into this extension project according to the AP-HM.