Is administration hiding coronavirus deaths in Sundargarh?

ROURKELA: The mismatch between the number of bodies cremated as per Covid-19 protocol in the city and the number of deaths due to the virus, reported by the Sundargarh district administration, has raised suspicion of data fudging. 

Sources said between September 6 and 24, as many as 65 bodies were cremated as per Covid-19 protocol at Vedvyas here. These bodies were brought to the crematorium from Hi-Tech Covid Hospital, RSP-run Ispat General Hospital (IGH) and a private hospital. Of the 65 persons, whose bodies were cremated during the period, only two have been confirmed due to Covid-19. The reason for the rest 63 is yet to be clarified by the administration. 

As per norms, any Covid-19 death is reported to Sundargarh Collector and officials of Health and Family Welfare department. Later, it is announced by the Director of Health Services after audit by a committee. As many as 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. 

President of Rourkela Ispat Karkhana Karmachari Sangh (RIKKS), the recognized trade union of RSP, Himanshu Bal said on September 10 two RSP workers succumbed to coronavirus at the Hi-Tech Covid-19 hospital and IGH. 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,” he 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. 

Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan denied under-reporting 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 raises questions over the administration’s intentions.