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National Council for Clinical Establishments Issues Minimum Standards for Mortuaries
The National Council for Clinical Establishments authorises India’s first national minimum standards for mortuary and post-mortem infrastructure. The standards apply to public and private hospitals in States and Union Territories that have adopted the Clinical Establishments Act, and implementation is governed by States and Union Territories.
Minimum Standards for Mortuary and Post‑Mortem Facilities:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Administrative placement | The National Council for Clinical Establishments is established under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). |
| Objective | The standards provide for uniformity in mortuary facilities, which are earlier governed largely by state police manuals and medico-legal rules. |
| Prohibited locations | The standards mandate prohibition of basement morgues and locations near hospital waste or refuse areas. |
| Traceability provision | The standards provide for unique numbering systems to minimise the risk of errors in body identification. |
| Staffing and resource planning | The standards provide for staffing levels and facility resources to be aligned with the actual volume of autopsy cases. |