26, October 2016

Cameroon government spokesman says several bodies from the train crash not yet identified 0

Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary has made public the CPDM death toll of the Eseka train crash incident. The Cameroon government spokesman reduced the tally to 76 and increased the number of wounded to 599 during a press conference on Tuesday the 25th of October 2016 in Yaounde.

The minister of communication gave a breakdown of the distribution of those injured in different hospital units in the country. He observed that there were 473 persons at the Eséka District Hospital: 22 at the Mother Teresa; Mercy 25 and Urban health Centre: 79.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary also revealed that, 368 wounded continued their treatment in hospitals in Douala, Edea and Yaoundé. While 231 minor injuries returned to their families immediately after First Aid care in Eséka.

The Cameroon government spokesman added that a process has been developed on the identification and collection of bodies of victims. Said Tchiroma:  “The applicants and other rights holders must bring original and photocopies of their identification and any official document that can link the family with the remains (marriage certificate at birth or other documents …)”

However, the minister noted that several other bodies have not yet been identified. Issa Tchiroma indicated that these bodies are subject to “an identification procedure in the presence of at least three members of the applicant family. For each body, the doctor in charge of the mortuary services deliver a kind of death certificate to the family, “he further informed.

The Centre for Health Emergencies of the Ministry of Health has mobilized to respond to all queries relating thereto. It responds to hotline: 1510.

By Sama Ernest