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After HC rap, Bihar to reverify Covid deaths
PATNA A day after the Patna High Court flagged inconsistency in death figures related to Buxar, the state government Tuesday decided to reverify Covid deaths during the 14-month pandemic period
PATNA
A day after the Patna High Court flagged inconsistency in death figures related to Buxar, the state government Tuesday decided to reverify Covid deaths during the 14-month pandemic period.
“This has to be done on a war footing within 10 days,” Bihar’s additional chief secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit said on Tuesday.
A bulletin released by the state health department on Monday had put the Covid toll at 3,928 so far.
On Monday, the HC had expressed its displeasure over inconsistency in figures of death in Buxar, mentioned in separate affidavits filed by the state’s chief secretary and the Patna divisional commissioner. It had asked the government to verify facts from all sources before placing it in the court. “Else, it will amount to filing false or incomplete affidavit,” the bench of chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Sanjay Kumar had said.
The HC had also asked the government to clarify if the reported deaths were of people suffering from Covid-19, besides ascertaining the age group of the deceased.
The state health department on Tuesday sent detailed instructions to district magistrates, civil surgeons, directors of AIIMS-Patna and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) to verify from all sources the deaths having taken place at their respective institutions or at the district-level.
Addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Amrit said all medical colleges and hospitals had been advised to set up a committee, comprising the principal, medical superintendent and head of the department of medicine, to examine all records and verify deaths arising out of Covid-19 or otherwise.
The same had to be done by the civil surgeon, the additional chief medical officer or any doctor authorised by the civil surgeon at the district-level.
“We have asked the district magistrates (DMs) and civil surgeons to set up a committee to verify all deaths at the district level within 10 days, beginning Tuesday,” said Amrit.
The district committees had also been tasked to visit private facilities, which were allowed to treat Covid-19 patients, and verify deaths.
Amrit said there were five sources of information about death of Covid-19 patients — those dying under home isolation, at Covid Care Centres, District Covid Healthcare Centre, dedicated Covid hospitals and patients on way to a facility. Authorities responsible for each had been activated to verify deaths, he added.
“The government wants to have a clear picture on the deaths at the panchayat and block level, district-wise, geographical area and region-wise. It also wants to ensure that the affected family should be supported. The motive is simple. If any person dies of Covid, his/her name should be with us; we should have the right figures. Families of such people should not be deprived. At the same time, we want to check for false claims,” said Amrit in response to a question behind the motive of the exercise.
The state government had last year announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh to the kin of those who die of Covid-19.
Vaccine allocation
The Centre had allocated over 10.45 lakh doses of vaccine against coronavirus for the age group of 45 years and above. These vaccines will arrive between May 21 and June 1, said Amrit.
He, however, did not share the number of vaccines available with the state as on date. Sources said many districts had exhausted their vaccine stock and shut vaccination centres.
Amrit also parried a question whether all such vaccination centres would remain shut for the next three days till the state receives its first tranche of vaccines for 45+.
He said a proposal had been received that the state would get 6,89,250 doses of Covishield for the 18-44 years age category between May 20 and 24.
Community kitchens
The state government had decided to operate at least one community kitchen in each of the total 534 blocks spread across 38 districts in Bihar. Relatives of Covid-19 patients under home isolation could take packed food from such centres. These will also provide milk to children at these community kitchens.
Amrit said the number of community kitchen had been scaled up from 119 on May 5 to 432 on Tuesday.
Centres of excellence
The health department Tuesday declared the AIIMS and the IGIMS in Patna as centres of excellence for treatment of mucormycosis or black fungus.
Amrit also said the state government had requested the Centre to include molecular genomics laboratory at the IGIMS among 10 such existing laboratories in India for genomic surveillance of Covid-19 in the region.
He said the Centre had also agreed to the state’s request to use Liposomal Amphotericin B injection, used in kala-azar patients, to treat cases of mucormycosis. “We have already distributed some vials of the injection to some of the hospitals,” he said.
The number of cases of mucormycosis had risen to 56 in Bihar.
