The data on the number of doctors who have died of COVID-19 has sparked a political controversy in Tamil Nadu, with two wings of the Indian Medical Association releasing different sets of figures.
The Indian Medical Association (headquarters) made an official statement on August 7 that 43 doctors had died of COVID in Tamil Nadu. Both Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar and the State IMA president had rejected the quoted figure earlier this week, after the DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin tweeted the data set.
The IMA’s data on State-wise doctors’ deaths was widely circulated on social media earlier this week. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IMA (headquarters) disclosed the details of 196 doctors who had died of COVID-19 in the country. The IMA’s submissions included a document containing the deceased doctors’ details like name, age, IMA branch and speciality. Forty-three of them were from T.N. — the highest figure in the country. “The entire data is from within IMA. The details were verified by another IMA member or by local branches. We have published authentic data. When we released only the numbers, it was subjected to varied interpretations. We have now released the names of the doctors. The State can investigate the details and find out whether the deaths were COVID-19 or non-COVID [deaths]. Our concern is that so many doctors have died,” said R.V. Asokan, honorary secretary-general, IMA (HQs).
K. Senthil, president of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association, said two government doctors had died of COVID-19 in T.N., while C.N. Raja, president of IMA-Tamil Nadu, said that as per their list, 20 private practitioners had died of COVID-19. Hence, 22 doctors had succumbed to the infection in all.
Dr. Raja said, “The data that 43 doctors have died is wrong. As soon as we received it, we started to cross-verify the list. We are investigating the deaths, and there seems to be non-COVID deaths too. We have asked all IMA branches to check and get supporting documents,” he said.
In the midst of all this, doctors have begun to question if the State government has any data on doctors’ deaths at all. When the data was sought, an official said he would collect the details and then provide them.
However, a group of doctors have been collecting details from various doctors’ groups and from Facebook since the start of the pandemic. They have now collated data on the number of doctors — both in government and private sector — who have died of COVID-19 and due to other ailments.
“From March till date, 27 doctors have died of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. They include two government doctors — Kalyanaraman of Thoothukudi and Sugumaran, chief medical officer of Madurantakam GH. Fourteen other doctors, including five in the government sector, have died of other reasons during the pandemic,” said a doctor, on the condition of anonymity.
A majority of those who died of COVID were aged between 40 and 60, and a few above 60. “Repeated exposure to patients and age, along with co-morbidities, put them at a higher risk of infection and higher viral load,” he added.
G. R. Ravindranath, general secretary of Doctors Association for Social Equality, demanded the State government to be transparent and release the accurate list of doctors — both from the government and private sectors — who have died of COVID-19. Dr. Raja urged the government to provide solatium for the families of the doctors.
The Health Minister could not be reached for comment. A senior health official said data released by IMA was not related to the government.
Disclose details: Stalin
DMK president M.K. Stalin urged the Health Minister to disclose the number of doctors who had died of COVID-19 in T.N. In a tweet, he referred to the data released by IMA. “Hiding deaths is not the way to prevent deaths,” he said.