Notice issued against Kerala medical officers over duplication in Covid death figures

Kerala Health Department has issued a notice seeking an explanation from District Medical Officers over duplication while entering Covid death figures.

Kerala Health Department has issued notices to several District Medical Officers (DMOs) in the state seeking an explanation on duplication in Covid death figures.

The notice sent by the health secretary claims that it was found in verification that some of the DMOs had entered the number of deaths that happened between January 30, 2020 to June 17, 2021 twice.

According to a memo that became public, the director of health services reported 7,023 pending death cases for the period. However, a total of over 8,500 cases of Covid deaths were uploaded.

After scrutiny, it was found that over 527 deaths were uploaded twice by the DMOs. The actual number was 3,252, pointing to a serious lapse in documenting Covid death figures.

The memo dated January 29 seeks an explanation within 15 days from the date of receipt. The notice said that even though there are specific government directions, DMOs failed to detect the number of duplications of deaths in their respective districts.

Deaths due to Covid are closely monitored by all sections, including the Kerala High Court. The notice states that a responsible officer is bound to ensure the accuracy of the data before declaring Covid deaths. The matter is being taken up seriously by the government.

However, some doctors have alleged that it was the health secretary who hid the actual statistics of covid deaths during the period.