The Ministry of Health has allocated SR1,900,000 (one million nine hundred thousand) Saudi Riyals for meeting outstanding salaries and other entitlements of workers entrusted with embalmment services at the Deaths Affairs Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine, Riyadh Directorate of Health Affairs. MOH has allotted an account at the Ministry of Finance for the amounts collected from individuals and companies in return for embalmment services, which is SR2000 for each corpse prepared for deportation out of the Kingdom from Riyadh.
According to the Assistant Supervisor of the Center of Forensic Medicine and Deaths Affairs in Riyadh, Dr. Mashoor H. Al-Waqdani, 123 death cases had been deported to their countries of origin last month, the highest deported cases being to Pakistan (31), the Philippines (18), and India (17).
He said all coffins approved for deportation are consistent with international standards issued by IATA, adding that great efforts has been exerted to meet such international standards.