COVID-19 | WHO death report 'baseless'; attempt to 'tarnish' India's image, say State Health Ministers
The Hindu
They said India has a robust, efficient and comprehensive system for registering deaths and all COVID-19 fatalities are systematically recorded transparently following a legal process
Health Ministers of various States who attended the 14th conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) have slammed WHO for its estimate of 4.7 million COVID-related deaths in India, saying it is "baseless" and "intended to show the country in a poor light".
They said India has a robust, efficient and comprehensive system for registering deaths and all COVID-19 fatalities are systematically recorded transparently following a legal process.
On Friday, a resolution was passed at the conference strongly objecting to WHO's estimates of COVID deaths in India. It stated the WHO estimate is "unacceptable" to India and the modelling methodology used by the global health body to reach the figure was "flawed".
The three-day conference of the CCHFW, an apex advisory body of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, began in Gujarat's Kevadia on Thursday. It was chaired by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar questioned the modelling methodology used by WHO to arrive at the death estimate, alleging that it was an attempt to "tarnish" India's reputation.
“There is no rationale behind the modelling methodology used by WHO to arrive at the estimate. All Health Ministers at the conference in Gujarat’s Kevadia have condemned the report and passed a resolution against it. We have urged Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to convey India’s disappointment to WHO and raise it at higher international forums,” he told PTI.
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