LAGOS, NIGERIA — Medical professionals have raised urgent concerns over the growing practice of using ambulances to transport corpses, warning that it poses a serious public health risk by potentially spreading infectious diseases.
Speaking at a medical symposium in Lagos, a senior physician emphasized that corpses can carry infectious agents that remain active for hours or even days after death. These pathogens can contaminate the ambulance interior, medical equipment, and the personnel involved in transportation. The risk of cross-contamination is particularly high in Nigeria, where access to specialized equipment is limited and protocols for decontamination are often not strictly followed.
Dr. Adebayo Omotunde, a public health expert, explained that while the immediate reaction of families and first responders is often to rush the deceased to the hospital, using an ambulance for this purpose can have devastating consequences.
“If a patient has died of a communicable disease like Lassa fever, cholera, or a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis, the bacteria or virus is still present on the body and in body fluids,” he explained. “The ambulance becomes a contaminated zone. If it is not properly disinfected—and it rarely is—the next patient transported in that vehicle is at serious risk of exposure.”
The warning comes amid a broader discussion about the standard of emergency medical services in Nigeria. Studies have highlighted that inadequate funding, limited ambulance services, and a lack of trained personnel continue to undermine the effectiveness of emergency care . The consequences of using ambulances as hearses are part of a wider lack of infrastructure and enforcement that has plagued the healthcare system for decades.
At the same symposium, another specialist called for the establishment of dedicated hearses for the transportation of corpses. This approach, he argued, would not only protect public health but also preserve the dignity of the deceased. He also recommended that all medical vehicles undergo a thorough decontamination process after transporting any infected or high-risk patient.
“This is not just a matter of infection control,” said Dr. Chuka Nwosu, a consultant microbiologist. “It is about protecting the living. We cannot allow the fear or desperation of the moment to compromise the safety of the next patient, the paramedic, or the community at large.”
Medical experts are now urging federal and state governments to enforce stricter regulations on ambulance use and to ensure that all emergency vehicles are equipped with standardized disinfection protocols. They are also calling for public awareness campaigns to educate Nigerians on the dangers of using ambulances as hearses. The Federal Ministry of Health has previously recommended that all ambulances be equipped with standard decontamination kits and that healthcare personnel be trained in post-transport protocols, but enforcement remains inconsistent. As Nigeria continues to battle infectious diseases, experts say such reforms are essential to saving lives beyond the emergency room.
