An elderly Walloon woman, Yvette, recently died in a retirement home in the Brussels municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert. As her family lives in Charleroi, a "surreal" Belgian law meant that the deceased's body had to be transported back and forth between the two cities before her funeral could take place.
Yvette's body had to be transported from Brussels to Charleroi (where her family lives) before being brought back to Brussels, on a round trip to obtain the obligatory death certificate from a second doctor required by the Brussels municipality where she died.
"We are depriving a family of the opportunity to pay their respects, and I find that scandalous," Denis Fontaine, the funeral director in Charleroi organising Yvette's service, told RTL, denouncing the "archaic" and "surreal" situation.
"The family came from Charleroi, so they asked me to collect her body from Brussels. The doctor at the retirement home had already certified that she had died of natural causes," he said.
Two doctors
When someone is buried in a cemetery, a death certificate signed by the doctor who certified the death is sufficient. But if the deceased is cremated after a natural death – which was Yvette's choice – a second report from a doctor appointed by the local authority is required.
"This makes sense, because once the body has been cremated, there's obviously nothing left to check. Two doctors are needed, according to the law in Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels," said Fontaine. In the event of a suspicious or violent death, a cremation permit must be obtained from the Public Prosecutor.
In Wallonia, this second certificate of verification can also be signed by a doctor from a different municipality. "So if a natural death occurs in Arlon, I can move the deceased to Namur [where his business is located], where the local doctor will confirm the natural death."
In Yvette's case, however, the situation became complicated as the Woluwe-Saint-Lambert municipality told Fontaine that he had to take the body back to Brussels so their doctor could see her remains. "The Brussels circular on the transport of mortal remains states that undertakers have the right to send a doctor from another municipality, provided that it is one of the 19 in Brussels."
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Fontaine tried contacting the local authorities to avoid having to bring back the body to Brussels, as it would deprive Yvette's family – who are very angry with the situation – of their last moments with her. "At a time of mourning, this is a kind of quibbling that should not exist."
In the end, the funeral director brought Yvette's body to Woluwe-Saint-Lambert where the doctor quickly examined the body and gave the all clear. "This lady had to make the round trip to Brussels for nothing. We are stuck with archaic systems where everyone is well aware that things are not working, but nobody is taking any action."
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert Mayor Olivier Maingain confirmed the absurdity of the situation to RTL. "It is really stupid, I admit. When I saw the request, I called the department to see if we could accept it. But they told me that I would be personally liable as Mayor if I did not comply with the law. We would like to trust a doctor from another commune in Wallonia, but legally we cannot."
