By Usmaan Cissay, Dakar
Macky Sall announced Monday the lifting of the ban on the repatriation of the bodies of Senegalese who died abroad from Covid-19.
Taking into account the high demand for repatriation of the bodies of our compatriots who died abroad from the Covid-19 (…), it will now be possible to carry out these repatriations,” said Macky Sall.
This decision was taken ”on the basis of reasoned opinions, which we have collected with regard to the health conditions” for the repatriation of the bodies, he said, addressing the nation via the RTS.
The Head of State said he had asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad and his colleague in charge of Health and Social Action to “facilitate repatriation, for families who wish to do so, in compliance with the required health conditions”.
At the beginning of April, the government announced the suspension of the repatriation of the bodies of Senegalese who died from Covid-19 abroad, for fear of contamination during the transport of the remains.
In view of the high risk of contagion linked to the handling of the remains, no transfer of bodies from infected countries should be allowed”, the Ministry of Health announced.
The decision was confirmed three days later by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese abroad, Amadou Bâ.
Last week, Senegal’s Supreme Court rejected a petition by relatives of Senegalese who died from Covid-19 abroad and by Senegalese human rights organizations, who were demanding the lifting of the ban on repatriating the bodies.
The relatives of the deceased expatriates and their lawyers then planned to take their case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee to win their case.
Macky Sall said he prayed “for the repose of the souls of our dead from Covid-19, from here and from the diaspora.
”I offer our deepest sympathies to their grieving families. . . Every bereavement affects us deeply, especially when added to this suffering is the pain of distance, when the death occurs abroad,” he added.
To date, said Macky Sall, Senegal has 1,886 positive cases of Covid-19, of which 715 have been cured and 19 have died.
He added that 1,151 patients are under treatment, and 7,182 contacts are followed up by health services.
