Indore: If you thought that the number of Covid deaths in Indore was more than what was reported then this news may cement your belief.
While district health department had reported only 1,394 deaths due to Covid in the district so far, district administration claimed to have distributed ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to kin of over 2,000 people who succumbed due to Covid-19 in the district.
Moreover, the administration still has many applications pending. These applications may clear the air over difference in number of deaths in Indore and the official figure of the health department.
According to ADM Rajesh Rathore, as per government's scheme of providing compensation to the kin of people who succumbed to Covid-19 they have distributed Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to about 2,000 people.
“We have received over 3,450 applications out of which many applications were duplicated as they had applied more than once. Over 1,000 applications were found incomplete as they don't have all required documents,” he told the media.
The ADM also clarified that their aim is not to match the data given by the health department but to provide ex-gratia to those fulfilling the requirements of the application of claims.
“In some cases, many patients were treated at home, so their death was could not be included in the official record,” Rathore added.
Hospitals report two deaths, health dept reports only one
Health department's reporting of Covid-19 death was exposed on Tuesday when private hospitals claimed two Covid deaths in city but Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr BS Saitya reported only one death in the bulletin released by him on Tuesday night. One death took place on Monday morning but the CMHO was clueless till Tuesday night about the same.
Meanwhile, the CMHO couldn’t be contacted for comment over difference in official record and ex-gratia applications as his phone was switched off.
