Bio device assists in identifying Limpopo patients
This system uses biometrics technology and has automatic access to identification data to the Home Affairs Department, national police service and national credit bureaus.
POLOKWANE – In the last month, there were over 344 unidentified and unclaimed bodies across provincial government mortuaries and the figure increases daily, according to the Health Department, but a new system may assist in identifying patients in future.
The rise in numbers could be blamed on the country’s porous borders that encourage illegal immigration, according to some.
While the constitution is stern that foreign nationals must be documented, the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital, like other state healthcare service providers, recently mentioned that it carries the additional responsibility to assist all patients ahead of making a request for identification – at times only to find that the patient is undocumented.
The same applies for the provincial department’s forensic pathology unit in mortuaries, and the situation may worsen when identification systems take days to process information manually.
The unit at the hospital, however, received a digital fingerprint system from the Centre for Public Service Innovation and Council on Friday.
This system uses biometrics technology and has automatic access to identification data to the Home Affairs Department, national police service and national credit bureaus.
“Such state bodies have documented citizens’ fingerprint information. At a click of a button, our pathologists will know who the deceased is and who they can be linked to based on their previous activities aligned with these bodies,” health Spokesperson, Thilivhali Muavha said.
“It will help address the challenge of unclaimed and unidentified bodies and ensure that families can give their loved ones a dignified send-off,” he added.
Muavha said the device will alleviate the work for local government to focus on its core functions.
Addressing the issue of poor border control, President Cyril Ramaphosa last week facilitated the newly launched Border Management Authority, which he said is necessary for maintaining the integrity of the country’s borders.
The department welcomed this effort and said it would hopefully reduce the pressure faced in dealing with undocumented patients who sometimes cannot be traced for mandatory patient payments or in the case of unclaimed bodies.
