AEGiS-14IAC: Cremation: An acceptable solution to burial space shortage in Zimbabwe?

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Cremation: An acceptable solution to burial space shortage in Zimbabwe?

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12493)

Chigariro O
Men's Action Group, Harare, Zimbabwe

ISSUES: Cremation as a solution to the increased burial space shortage and ever rising cost of funerals against increased deaths due to AIDS.

DESCRIPTION: Due to the increased deaths mainly due to AIDS, the problem of burial space especially in towns, and the cost of burials have for a long time been felt in Zimbabwe. Sometime ago the idea of cremation was marketed as the only option to alleviate these hardships. However in a country like Zimbabwe where conventional burial is enshrined in most people's cultures, and where cremation is regarded as alien, people did not welcome this option, thus would not adopt this option. They would rather use up all the resources they have in order to facilitate a traditional funeral. This normally start with the deceaseds estate, thereby leaving little or nothing to inherit for who ever depended on the deceased.

ISSUES: In a culture where cremation does not exist, it is not ethically easy to change people's funeral/burial beliefs and values especially in a short period of time.

RECOMMENDATIONS: To coerce people to take cremation up cremation as an alternative to the conventional method of burial, the governments should first offer this service free of charge such that those without the resources would take it as a cost effective option. If this continues for a considerable period of time, people would start to be accustomed to it, and thereby opt for it.

Keywords: AEGIS, Burial, Mortuary Practice, Culture, Death, Emigration and Immigration, Costs and Cost Analysis, Cadaver, Attitude to Death, Asphyxia, Zimbabwe, economics

020707
G12493