Samoa continues to be plagued by not having a fulltime pathologist, with the Tupua Tamasese Meaole hospital morgue holding 7 corpses awaiting post mortems.
Talamua News Online reported the acting Police Commissioner, Papalii Monalisa Keti, said this week that the problem needs to be addressed urgently.
A special medical team from China had to be brought in in 2020 to handle many cases that had piled up with some dating back to the 2019 measles epidemic.
Papali'i said she hopes a pathologist is among the team from China that is currently in quarantine so post mortems can be done on the bodies still in the morgue.
Samoa has been without a pathologist for more than 20 years and had engaged the service of New Zealand or Australian pathologists to conduct post mortem when needed.
The only Samoan who took studies in the field of pathology has returned overseas for further studies towards full qualification.
The court has continued to be concerned at the lack of a pathologist because of delays finalising cause of death and releasing bodies to families for burial.
In 2021, a commercial cooler had to be brought in to help with congested conditions at the morgue.
Photo file RNZ Pacific