After doubts were cast over the actual number of COVID-19 deaths, the Odisha government has constituted district level committees to review the issue.
Odisha has so far reported 1,022 deaths accounting for 0.95% of the national toll. Its case load is 2,52,239. The government claims that the fatality rate at 0.405% is one of the lowest in the country.
For the last few weeks, relatives of the deceased have been openly expressing dissatisfaction in social media over under-reporting of deaths. They alleged that the government had not mentioned the deaths of the relatives of the deceased in the daily bulletins.
Some had even video-recorded cremation of people at designated pandemic crematorium in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to show that the number was clearly more than that put out daily by the Health and Family Welfare (HFW) department in the bulletin.
The HFW issued a notification on Saturday saying the government had constituted district-level committees to audit the quality of care and death review to be headed by an officer authorised by either the Collector or the Municipal Commissioner.
The government said prevention of deaths by providing timely and quality care remained the utmost priority while it was found necessary to have an oversight over both.
“These committees will audit the quality of care at the facilities and review deaths of positive or suspect patients in government and private hospitals in the district or the corporation area,” says the notification.
The committee will examine the full medical records of the patients to strengthen the system and improve response to save lives.
While the district-level information pointed out the toll had already crossed 20 in Nuapada, the State dashboard showed the western Odisha district had only one death. Similarly, there were over 25 deaths in Kalahandi, but the State level information continued to stick to 15.
