DONATION OF A BODY TO THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE FOR EDUCATION & MEDICAL RESEARCH

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the above subject. We do appreciate your gesture. Though you have expressed a wish to donate your body after your death, we require the consent of the legal custodian(s) of your body to accept it. Therefore, it is necessary that you let them know of your wish and also inform them of the following requirements for the handing over procedure.
1. Your custodian(s) should contact the Department of Anatomy, Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, No. 952, Maradana Road, Colombo 08, and arrange the date and time for handing over the body. The Department can be contacted on 0112629711 from Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
2. Bodies may be accepted from Monday to Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., excluding public holidays.
3. Bodies may also be accepted on Saturdays and Sundays, subject to prior notification and arrangement.
4. Before handing over the body, the custodian(s) should handover the following documents to the office. Please note that these documents will not be given back to the custodian(s) under any circumstances once the body has been taken over by our department,
4.1 The Medical Registrar’s Certificate of Death (The original) or Notice of Death (41(1) (a) clause).
2.1.1. It is compulsory that the intent to handover the body to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo is clearly mentioned in the document.
2.1.2. Please note that under no circumstances will a body be accepted without the Medical Registrar’s Certificate of Death.
4.2 An affidavit declaring that the person who is handing over the body is the legal custodian (Should be certified by a Justice of Peace).
4.3 A copy of the National Identity Card of the person handing over the body (Should be certified by a Justice of Peace).
4.4 Copies of the National Identity Cards and a copy of the marital certificate of the parents should be provided if the body is that of a person aged less than 18 years (Should be certified by a Justice of Peace).
4.5 In case of a fresh body donation (within 12 hrs. of death), records of the deceased’s past medical history, together with all relevant medical documents, reports, and investigation records, must be submitted
5. Prior to handing over the body to the Faculty of Medicine, the custodian(s) should come to the Department of Anatomy to confirm whether the above-mentioned documents are in order.

6. The body should be handed over to the Faculty within 48 hours of death. The undertaker should be informed that the body is to be donated to the Faculty of Medicine and that embalming should be done through the femoral artery in front of the upper part of the thigh. No other part of the body should be cut or damaged. WE ENCOURAGE THE DONATION OF BODIES WITHIN EIGHT (8) HOURS OF DEATH, WITHOUT ANY EMBALMING PROCEDURE.

7. Please note that accepting the following types of bodies is subject to the approval of the Head of Department of Anatomy.
7.1 Bodies that have undergone Post Mortem Examination.
7.2 Bodies that had infectious diseases such as Hepatitis/HIV – AIDS.
7.3 Bodies that have open wounds such as bed sores or open surgical scars due to recent operations.
7.4 Bodies that have extensive joint deformities rendering the body incapable of being kept on a flat surface.
7.5 Bodies that have had parts of the body donated (Eye donations made to the Eye Donation Society are acceptable)
7.6 Bodies that have undergone extensive surgery / organ removal.
7.7 Bodies that have certain types of cancer / recent chemotherapy.
7.8 Bodies are very obese or emaciated.

8. Please note that the Faculty of Medicine retains the right to refuse accepting bodies at the time of handing over if they are not in a condition suitable for medical education and research purposes. In such a situation your custodian(s) are responsible for removing the body from the Faculty premises immediately.
9. Please note that the Faculty will not provide transportation services to transport the body.
10. Please note that it is not possible for us to allow permission to pay respect to the body, undertake long- term preservation, or return any part or parts of the body to your custodian(s) once the body is handed over.
11. Coffins must be taken away from the faculty premises once the body has been handed over. We respectfully ask that you make arrangements with the undertakers or any other suitable organization, Elders Homes or Hospitals.
12. In certain instances, we preserve bodies and body parts and hand them over to schools and higher education institutions for health/medical education purposes. In such instances we take steps to recover the costs incurred by us for making the preparation from the recipients. We hope you have no objections to this.

13. Your act will benefit society. You or your family members are not expected to make any payments to the Faculty of Medicine or any member of the staff of the Faculty of Medicine for this purpose.

14. To express our gratitude and pay respect to all our generous donors, the students and the Faculty organize an annual religious ceremony for which the family members are respectfully invited.

Thank You
Yours Sincerely

Professor T. K Wetthasinghe
Chair & Senior Professor of Anatomy
Department of Anatomy, Genetics and Biomedical Informatics
Faculty of Medicine
University of Colombo