Singapore—ruled the outdated practice of cremating or burying AIDS patients within 24 hours of death compulsory. This passe protocol was done away with by The World Health Organisation many years ago due to improved knowledge of the transmission of AIDS.

Generally the bodies must be embalmed or cleaned and dressed before it is buried or cremated, this normal procedure is bared from AIDS victims in Singapore. Instead the body is taken straight from the trolley and put into the coffin. This is to minimise the risk of exposure to the disease by those who handle the bodies, the Singapore Health Ministry said.

“A few times, I have gone to get the bodies of AIDS patients and the families wants us to dress them in their best clothes but we can’t.  We’re are not allowed to touch them.” Said an embalmer to The Straits Times.

The Singaporean Health Ministry must lift its health standard practices to an internationally recognisable level. It also needs to educate it self and embalming services providers about the transmission of AIDS.  There is also an urgent plea to develop a sensitive and informed national procedure for handling AIDS patients so as to put to stop the unnecessary pain and humiliation felt by friends and relatives of the deceased.
 

J.Lam