Abu Dhabi: The loss of a loved one is a traumatic experience for the family, and dealing with the many associated formalities only adds to the strain. This is where a long-standing service from the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City comes in to ease some of the stress.
Through this facility, the municipality aids in the washing of the body and its preparation for burial.
“Family members are already grieved by the loss, and it is often the first time that many of them undertake the burial processes. This is why we have staff ready to help with the washing of the body, or undertake the whole task themselves,” Khalifa Al Rumaithi, director of public health at the Municipality, told Gulf News.
The service is free of charge for families of all faiths, and the municipality has 12 male staff members and 10 women to wash the body. Materials such as the shroud, soap and water are also provided free.
Al Rumaithi said that the municipality’s public health officials take charge as soon as the death certificate has been issued from the morgue located at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City.
“We have often encountered families who are not comfortable with an outsider washing the body. So, if they would like to do the washing themselves, this is completely fine. Still, we are available in case they need some assistance. Unfortunately, many people are not yet aware of this free service. So we want them to know that we will provide as much aid as we can in these difficult times,” he said.
In Islam, the washing and shrouding of the deceased’s body is an obligatory procedure and must follow a certain set of steps. Al Rumaithi explained that the public health staff is therefore familiar with Sharia rulings, and can be particularly helpful to the family. The department has also recently developed brochures that explain this washing and preparation process in detail.
The public health unit handles about 200 bodies a month. After the washing and shrouding, bodies are either transferred by ambulance to the airport for repatriation, or taken to a graveyard for burial.
