Rourkela: Is the Sundargarh district administration fudging data on COVID-19 deaths? The suspicion arises because of an apparent mismatch between the number of bodies cremated as per COVID-19 protocols in the city and the number of deaths due to the virus reported officially.
Mismatch In Numbers
According to a report in New Indian Express, as many as 65 bodies were cremated as per COVID-19 protocols at Vedvyas here between September 6 and 24. However, only two of the deaths were confirmed due to COVID-19. The reason for the rest 63 is yet to be clarified by the administration.
These bodies were brought to the crematorium from Hi-Tech Covid Hospital, RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH) and a private hospital.
As per norms, any COVID-19 death is reported to the Sundargarh Collector and officials of the Health and Family Welfare department. Later, it is announced by the Director of Health Services after an audit by a committee.
The report said 39 deaths have been reported in the district since September 16. However, while the 38th death was officially reported on September 6, the 39th was reported on September 16.
‘Deaths Not Reported’
President of Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS), a trade union, Himanshu Bal claimed that two RSP workers succumbed to coronavirus at Hi-Tech Covid hospital and IGH on September 10. Two more workers died due to the same reason at IGH on September 18 and 21, but no official announcement on the deaths has been made yet.
“It may be due to under-reporting or deliberate delay. But if the actual figures are not revealed, people may rather tend to be callous towards the pandemic,” Bal said.
Similarly, the death of Havildar NC Sethi (56) of Tangarpali police station, who died of COVID-19 on September 20, is yet to be officially declared.
Collector Clarifies
Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan denied underreporting of deaths. He said patients who die at COVID-19 hospitals are cremated as per protocol even if they had tested negative. “So the cremation figure would be definitely higher than the actual figure,” he reasoned.
However, only positive patients are admitted to COVID-19 hospitals and when deaths from such facilities are not reported, it definitely raises questions.
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