How COVID-19 pandemic is changing the Africa’s elaborate burial rites, mourning and grieving

Abstract

There are diverse burial rites in Africa which have been practiced for decades depending on the deceased place of origin, culture, religion and the position held in the community. Unlike the developed countries where burials are usually conducted as private ceremonies, funerals in Africa are elaborate and are usually public ceremonies involving the entire members of families, friends and well-wishers. Religion and culture are usually the deciding factors when decisions are made on how the deceased should be buried but generally cremation is not commonly practiced in Africa. COVID-19 pandemic was generally accepted to originate from Wuhan in China and this pandemic has extended to Africa. Most countries in Africa responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting the same strategies used by the Western countries in curbing the spread of the virus through the imposition of restrictions on movements, lock down and the introduction social distancing rules which are align to Africa way of living. These control strategies had put a lot of pressures on the weak mortuary services in Africa, altered the traditional methods of observing burial rites, mourning and grieving. COVID-19 pandemic has changed the various traditional ways Africans mourn grief and bury their love one. The dead bodies of people suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 should be treated with respect, ensuring the rights of the dead to a dignifying burial are upheld while adhering to standard precautions including use of appropriate PPEs, hand hygiene before and after the burial procedure.