About the Office of the State Forensic Pathologist

The Office of State Forensic Pathologist (OSFP) is an autonomous death investigation institution domiciled in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security and accountable to the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security per the National Forensic Act No.2, 2020 provisions.

Forensic pathology services are aimed at contributing to the administration of Justice, crime prevention, and public safety by being impartial, professional, and accurate in medicolegal death investigations and certification.

The OSFP strives to provide credible, reliable, accountable, and quality forensic pathology services for the criminal and justice civil systems, embracing an independent and evidence-based approach that emphasizes the importance of thinking objectively in pursuit of the truth by a commitment to public service, education, and research.

The foundational model of the OSFP has three components: Public Service, Education, and Research (Servitum|Educationem|Investigationem). These three elements’ interconnectedness provide sustainable development and continuous quality improvement of forensic pathology in Zambia. The OSFP approach is self-renewing and allows it to contribute to medical and scientific knowledge development.

Beyond the OSFPs commitment to service provision, it is collaborating with the Zambia College of Medicines and Surgery (ZACOMS) and the University of Zambia, School of Medicine to provide Postgraduate Medical Education for Forensic Pathologists in Zambia. With this collaboration, it is envisioned that fifty (50) Forensic Pathologists will be trained in the next ten (10) years, thereby resolving the challenges of having a critical shortage of Forensic Pathologists in Zambia.

Regarding research, the OSFP Forensic Pathologists are involved in Research Activities in Forensic Pathology, Public Health, and Infectious Disease leading to several publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The OSFP works closely with the Magistrates (Coroner), the Zambia Police Service and the Listed Forensic Medical Practitioners to ensure a coordinated and collaborative approach to death investigation in the public interest.

Our Legislation

1. The National Forensic Act:
   • provides for an autonomous OSFP to have the power to:
     1. 1. enter into agreements for the provision of forensic services and determine fees payable for certain services.
        2. advise the Coroner and the Criminal Investigations Officers (CIO) on whether a death requires further investigation.
        3. hold on to the deceased’s body until all the necessary investigations are conducted.
        4. collect, use, and disclose personal and health information to authorized persons.
        5. In cases where a death is a result of a heritable disease refer the family to the deceased to health and support services
   • Defines the position of the State Forensic Pathologist as supervisor of forensic pathology services.
   • Mandates that the SFP maintains a registry of Listed Forensic Medical Practitioners (LFMPs) who can perform forensic (medicolegal) postmortem examinations.
2. The Inquests Act:

• • mandates the Coroner to issue an Order for Postmortem Examination
  • mandates LFMPs upon the receipt of such order to perform the postmortem examination, determine the cause of death, ascertain the circumstances of death, and issue a postmortem report.
  • mandates the Medical Officers (LFMP) to decide the extent of dissection of the body as may be requisite.

Our Mandate

The Office of the State Forensic Pathologist (OSFP) is established to provide and support the provision of forensic pathology and related services and as far as practicable, supervise and co-ordinate these services in the investigation of death (National Forensic Act No.2, 2020).

1.    Facilities and human resource

Provide facilities and staff.

2.    Listed Forensic Medical Practitioners (LFMPs)

Maintain a list of forensic pathologists, anatomical pathologists, and medical doctors who can conduct forensic post-mortem examinations.

3.    Oversight

Supervise forensic post-mortem examinations conducted by the LFMPs.

4.    Disposal of samples and reagents

Maintain and dispose of samples for chemical, toxicological, or genetic analysis, microbiological and histological examination, and any other necessary investigations.

5.    Identification

Identify the remains of a deceased person.

6.    Cause and Manner of Death

Conduct appropriate investigations or examinations in relation to the cause of death of any person.

7.    Documentation

Properly document and record findings and results of investigations and examinations.

8.    Forensic Post-mortem examination report  

Prepare a report of post-mortem examination findings, and provide forensic post-mortem examination reports to Coroners and the Zambia Police Service

9.    Training

Conduct training in forensic pathology for LFMPs.

10. Research

Conduct research in forensic pathology.

11. Public Awareness

12. Promote public awareness of the medicolegal death investigation.

13.    Mass Disasters

Ensure the provision of forensic pathology services in mass disasters including:

a.     retrieving and reconstructing bodies and fragmented bodies.

b.     establishing personal identity.

c.     conducting post-mortem examinations on some or all existing bodies.

d.     establishing the cause of death to assist in reconstructing the cause of the disaster, and

e.     seeking evidence of the cause of the disaster from postmortem examination, such as bomb or detonator fragments that may be embedded in the bodies.

14.    Tissue Donation

Facilitate the removal of tissue and disposal, in accordance with the Human Tissue Act from a deceased person in whom a coroner has jurisdiction to investigate the death.