Nenita L. Ortega, RMT MA
President, Kaagapay Support Group
Clinic Manager, Remedios AIDS Foundation

CREMATING BODIES OF PWAS: SHOULD WE OR SHOULD WE NOT?

ISSUE:

Cadavers of PWAs are automatically cremated within twelve (12) hours after death.

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED:

• The lack of information on the provision of the AIDS Law (Republic Act 8504) on the right of the PWAs and their families for an option to have a decent burial like any other person who died of other illness.
• Most of the private hospitals, some government run hospitals and private funeral parlors do not entertain the idea of non-cremation on cadavers of PWAs. Most do not practice the standards of precautions.
• Funeral parlors are not informed of the existing AIDS law and most of them would not rather touch the cadaver and offer cremation instead.

CONCLUSION:

• There is a need for RA 8504 or the Philippine AIDS law to be disseminated and popularized in order to educate people of the rights of every PWA and their families for decent burial.
• There is a need to train and re-train hospital personnel, funeral parlor undertakers and embalmers.
• Undertakers and embalmers must participate in HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne and air-borne infection intervention. They are part and parcel of general public health advocacy efforts.
• The Philippines has a good model for embalmers' training and can be shared with other neighboring countries and partners.