NEW DELHI, 3 Dec: The government had sought data from states and union territories on deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage during the second wave and only Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh have responded, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
Punjab has sent an email saying that four deaths suspected to be due to lack of oxygen have been reported in a private hospital in Amritsar district, union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a written reply.
He was responding to a question on whether the government had sought report or data from states and union territories regarding deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage in various hospitals across the country during the second wave.
“Request for data on the subject was emailed to all states and UTs, including the last email sent on 29 November, 2021. In response, only two states (Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh) have responded,” he said.
He also said that detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by union health ministry to all states and union territories and accordingly, they report cases and deaths to the ministry on a regular basis.
The ICMR on 10 May, 2020 issued ‘Guidance for appropriate recording of Covid-19 related deaths in India’.
The ministry on 9 October, 2020 had conveyed to states and union territories, the World Health Organization and ICMR guidelines on correct recording of Covid-19-related deaths in accordance with globally accepted ICD-10 classification and also urged states to undertake periodic death audits with the aim to improve quality of healthcare services by suitable corrective measures, Mandaviya said. (PTI)
