AIIMS forum discusses dignity in death during disasters

The All lndia Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS held a consultative meeting on Mass Fatality Preparedness at its New Delhi campus on November 28 in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross The forum addressed one of the most overlooked aspects of disaster response mdash the dignified management of the dead Over 50 experts including disaster management officials forensic specialists and policy planners discussed global best practices for handling human remains during largescale disastersDignity in deathDr Sudhir Kumar Gupta professor and head of the Department of Forensic Medicine amp Toxicology at AIIMS and principal investigator Centre of Advanced Research and Excellence in Virtual Autopsy emphasised ldquoThe right to dignity doesnrsquot end with life Our response to disasters should focus not only on the living but also on respectful handling of those we lose This is a moral issue not just a technical onerdquo He noted that forensic professionals play a key role in reconstructing fragmented bodies to ensure proper identification and allow families to perform final ritualsThe forum focused onCollaborative forum Open dialogue between forensic practitioners first responders and decisionmakers to communicate their observations and suggestionsDr Shailesh Mohite dean Topiwala Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital accepting the token of appreciation after his presentationMultidisciplinary approach Highlight the need for a coordinated multiagency approach to ensure that the dead are managed properly disappearances are prevented and families are informed Improve national preparedness Strengthening disaster response plans with clear roles and protocols for mass fatalities Technological advancement Promoting tools like Virtual Autopsy for faster accurate postmortemsThe forum also stressed the need for agencies to be equipped with detailed guidelines Dr Gupta pointed out that in addition to presentations on operational standards interactive sessions shared reallife experiences from firstline responders Case studies from past disasters offered valuable lessons while technical discussions introduced newer techniques like Virtual Autopsy ldquoThe absence of preparedness will result in chaos and miscommunication delaying recovery operations and increasing the agony of victimsrsquo relativesrdquo he added An ICRC officer noted ldquoEvery disaster brings the pain of loss but we must make sure it doesnrsquot bring the agony of not knowingrdquoWay forwardA national steering committee led by AIIMS will draft operational guidelines for mass fatality preparedness in line with existing disaster frameworks The committee will review and update the ldquoNational Guidelines on Management of the Dead in the Aftermath of Disastersrdquo to incorporate new practices and technologies for identification handling and dignified treatment of the deceasedDr Sudhir Kumar Gupta professor and head of the Department of Forensic Medicine amp Toxicology at AIIMSDr Shailesh Mohite dean Topiwala Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital Mumbai emphasised the need for uniform Standard Operating Procedures SOPs across all disaster scenarios and the establishment of dedicated makeshift mortuaries at the scene of the incident The role of virtual autopsies in such disasters is crucial as they not only help speed up the identification of victims through denture and implant records but also maintain permanent technical documentation for future classification and identification of the deceasedrdquoExperts from Jammu amp Kashmir Gujarat Maharashtra and Bihar shared practical insights and lessons from past disasters Dr Gupta concluded ldquoThis isnrsquot just about logistics or procedures Itrsquos about people When disasters strike we must restore the dignity of those wersquove lostrdquo The forum marks a key step in embedding dignified mass fatality management within Indiarsquos disaster response framework