Tuesday, 20 October 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
Health dept to investigate the delay in reporting of deaths
The health department has decided to inquire into the cause of delay in reporting the death of 89 Covid-19 patients. The investigation would cover all aspects of the delay in reporting of deaths including the role of the department itself and that of the hospitals concerned. It is learnt that the senior officials have been directed to submit a report on these deaths within seven days. The decision assumes significance since the department was earlier blaming the hospitals for the delay in reporting of deaths. The Pioneer in its report published on Monday had mentioned that the department itself is responsible for the circumstances in which deaths of 89 patients were not reported in time.
The Director Medical health, Dr S K Gupta told The Pioneer that the analysis of the cause of the delay is being done and every aspect which resulted in delayed reporting of deaths would be covered in it. Meanwhile the Covid control room has ruled out the possibility of any further revision of the death toll. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Uttarakhand state Covid-19 control room, Dr Abhishek Tripathi said that delay in reporting of deaths by hospitals resulted in revision of death toll. On Saturday the health department had added 89 fatalities in its tally of deaths in the state which caused a sharp spike in death toll and mortality rate in the state. The experts point out that the delay in reporting of deaths shows a complete failure of the surveillance and contact tracing system of the health department.
