Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital (RFM) in Manzini is grappling with the growing challenge of unclaimed bodies.
Presently, 35 bodies are being kept in the mortuary, with the oldest case dating back to April 4, 2018. There is also one pending case admitted on November 23, 2025.
RFM Hospital Corporate Relations Officer Sibusiso Zwane confirmed the figures and emphasised that the hospital handles the matter with seriousness, sensitivity and respect for the dignity of the deceased.
“Some of these bodies have remained at the hospital for years, with the oldest case dating back to April 4, 2018,” he said.
He noted that prolonged storage of unclaimed bodies places a significant burden on the hospital, both emotionally and logistically, as the facility was primarily designed to provide medical care rather than serve as a long-term mortuary.
According to Zwane, unclaimed bodies usually result from a combination of social, economic and administrative factors.
One of the common situations involves young women who experience stillbirths. In some cases, mothers leave the facility without making burial arrangements and fail to return to claim the remains.
This is often linked to emotional trauma, fear of stigma, lack of family or community support, as well as financial difficulties associated with funeral arrangements. These circumstances sometimes lead to remains staying in the mortuary for extended periods.
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Another contributing factor involves patients who arrive critically ill without identification documents or relatives accompanying them. When such patients pass away, tracing next of kin or place of origin becomes extremely difficult.
Despite efforts by hospital staff to locate family members using available channels, some bodies remain unclaimed due to the absence of reliable means of identification.
Zwane further noted that the hospital also handles cases involving undocumented foreign nationals, mainly from neighbouring Mozambique, who are brought in for emergency medical care. When these individuals die, it often becomes difficult to establish their identity or communicate with relatives across borders.
In many cases, no family members come forward, leaving the hospital with the responsibility of storing the remains for prolonged periods.
The situation has also highlighted gaps in national systems dealing with unclaimed bodies.
Zwane explained that while the hospital has established internal procedures guided by national regulations, ethical standards and public health considerations, the country does not currently have a formal pauper burial system. This absence creates challenges for health facilities when bodies remain unclaimed for long periods.
He noted that in the past, the Municipal Council of Manzini had assisted the hospital by facilitating the burial of unclaimed bodies at one of its cemeteries. This collaboration provided temporary relief and ensured that the deceased were laid to rest in a dignified manner.
Over 11 Unclaimed Mozambican Bodies
Eleven bodies of Mozambican nationals remain unclaimed at RFM.
Spokesperson for Mozambican nationals living in Eswatini, Domingo Thomo, said the information was contained in a report received towards the end of last year.
He expressed concern that despite previous efforts by the Mozambican embassy to facilitate burials, some of the deceased had not yet been laid to rest.
“There are a lot of issues surrounding this matter. After the embassy released funds to bury these people at Mankayane, some of the bodies were not buried. There are 11 that are still at RFM,” Thomo explained.
He said the situation has caused distress among families and community members, who fear that logistical challenges, administrative delays and difficulties in tracing relatives may be contributing to the prolonged stay of the bodies in mortuaries.
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Thomo further revealed that the problem is not isolated to RFM Hospital. According to information shared within the community, additional Mozambican nationals are believed to remain unclaimed at Dvokolwako Health Centre and Good Shepherd Hospital.
Thomo noted that many of these cases involve individuals whose bodies were brought to medical facilities by police after incidents such as accidents or sudden deaths, making identification and family tracing more complicated.
He urged relevant authorities from both Eswatini and Mozambique to strengthen collaboration in handling such cases, emphasising the need for quicker identification processes and improved communication with families.
