Medicolegal Death Investigations

Cross-Cutting Themes

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MLDI serves a critical legal, medical and public health purpose by investigating deaths due to violence, injury or other unnatural causes, helping law enforcement agencies establish whether a crime has been committed. Information gathered through MLDI systems is essential to accurately reflect vital statistics data on causes of death. To learn more about the interaction between MLDI systems and countries’ CRVS laws, scroll below. 

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For a death referred to the MLDI system, does the law specify how cause of death information is transmitted to the civil registrar and/or statistics agency?

South Africa
Yes for transmission of information to statistics agency
Cambodia
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar and statistics agency
Mozambique
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Tunisia
No
Uganda
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Maldives
Unclear
Vietnam
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar and statistics agency
Morocco
Yes for transmission of information to statistics agency
Colombia
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar and statistics agency
Zambia
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Bangladesh
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar and statistics agency
Ghana
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Papua New Guinea
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Sri Lanka
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar
Indonesia
Yes for transmission of information to statistics agency
Bolivia
Yes for transmission of information to civil registrar

Is the same form used for all types of deaths, including natural deaths and deaths referred to MLDI?

South Africa
Yes
Cambodia
Yes
Mozambique
Yes
Tunisia
Yes
Uganda
Yes
Maldives
Yes
Vietnam
No
Morocco
Yes
Colombia
Yes
Zambia
No
Bangladesh
Yes
Ghana
Unclear
Papua New Guinea
Yes
Sri Lanka
No
Indonesia
No
Bolivia
Yes

Does the law clearly state who is responsible for medically certifying cause of death when deaths are unnatural or suspicious, or otherwise referred to the MLDI authority?

South Africa
Yes
Cambodia
Yes
Mozambique
Yes
Tunisia
No
Uganda
Yes.
Maldives
No
Vietnam
Yes. Police officer or forensic authority.
Morocco
No
Colombia
Yes
Zambia
Yes
Bangladesh
No
Ghana
Yes
Papua New Guinea
Yes
Sri Lanka
No
Indonesia
No
Bolivia
Yes

Does the law mandate that law enforcement and/or heads of custodial institutions report all deaths in custody to the medicolegal death investigation authority?

South Africa
Yes
Cambodia
No
Mozambique
No
Tunisia
No
Uganda
No
Maldives
No
Vietnam
Yes
Morocco
No
Colombia
Zambia
Yes
Bangladesh
Yes
Ghana
Yes
Papua New Guinea
No
Sri Lanka
Yes
Indonesia
Bolivia
No

Does the law clearly state what types of cases must be referred to the MLDI authority and is this in accordance with international guidance?

South Africa
Yes
Cambodia
Yes
Mozambique
Yes
Tunisia
Yes
Uganda
Yes
Maldives
Not clearly defined
Vietnam
Yes
Morocco
Unclear
Colombia
Zambia
Yes
Bangladesh
Yes
Ghana
Yes
Papua New Guinea
Yes
Sri Lanka
Yes
Indonesia
Bolivia
Yes

What type of medicolegal death investigation (MLDI) system does the country have?

South Africa
Coroner System
Cambodia
Law Enforcement Led System
Mozambique
Medial Examiner System
Tunisia
Law Enforcement Led System
Uganda
Coroner System
Maldives
Law Enforcement Led System
Vietnam
Law Enforcement Led System
Morocco
Law Enforcement Led System
Colombia
Zambia
Coroner System
Bangladesh
Law Enforcement Led System
Ghana
Coroner System
Papua New Guinea
Coroner System
Sri Lanka
Coroner System
Indonesia
Bolivia
Hybrid Coroner/Medical Examiner System

What evidence or documents are required for on-time death registration?

South Africa
Notification of death or other similar document
Cambodia
Notice of Death, identity documents for the deceased and informant, and residence document for the deceased
Mozambique
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Tunisia
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Uganda
Unclear
Maldives
Notification of death or other similar document
Vietnam
Declaration of Death, Death notice
Morocco
Notification of death or other similar document
Colombia
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Zambia
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Bangladesh
Notification of death or other similar document
Ghana
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Papua New Guinea
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Sri Lanka
Notice of Death and Declaration of Death
Indonesia
Notice of death
Bolivia
Medical Certifcate of Cause of Death

Who is designated as the primary informant for unnatural or suspicious deaths?

South Africa
Specified officer of the medicolegal system
Cambodia
Nearest relative
Mozambique
Specified officer of the medical legal system
Tunisia
Specified officer of the medicolegal system
Uganda
Other
Maldives
Other
Vietnam
Nearest relative
Morocco
Specified officer of the medical legal system
Colombia
Other
Zambia
Other
Bangladesh
Nearest relative
Ghana
Specified officer of the medicolegal system
Papua New Guinea
Specified officer of the medical legal system
Sri Lanka
Specified officer of the medical legal system
Indonesia
Specified officer of the medical legal system
Bolivia
Other