Karnataka has seen at least 23,592 more Covid deaths than the number recorded in the state health bulletin.
As of November 23, the state health bulletin, released by the Health Department, has recorded 40,261 Covid deaths. However, the Directorate of Social Security and Pensions (DSSP) of the state Revenue Department has provided compensation for 63,853 Covid deaths till November 22.
This compensation for additional deaths has been given on the decisions of the district-level redressal committees which were formed a year ago, following the Supreme Court order to consider Covid deaths missed out in the state health bulletin.
However, the Health Department is yet to include these Covid deaths recorded by the Revenue Department.
The department has given compensation of Rs 50,000 for each Covid death. An additional Rs 1 lakh compensation has been given to families below the poverty line (BPL) with a Covid death. This amounts to Rs 319.26 crore, including Rs 117.96 crore for the additional 23,592 deaths.
D Randeep, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare, said, “We have sent the file to the state government for approval to include the figures recorded by the Revenue Department in the health bulletin.”
Belagavi has seen the highest difference of 3,290 deaths between the records of two departments.
The data is still under discussion, explained Anil Kumar T K, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare. “These are clinically recognised deaths by district-level grievance committees, as per the Supreme Court order, which widened the scope of the definition of Covid deaths,” he said.
On the criteria for declaration of Covid deaths, B S Manjunathswamy, Additional Deputy Commissioner who headed the Mysuru district-level grievance committee, explained, “Death of a person within 30 days of testing positive (and the result being uploaded on the Indian Council of Medical Research portal) and which occurred either at the hospital or home, is declared a Covid death.”
Earlier, only Covid deaths which occurred at hospitals were included in the state health bulletin. Covid deaths which occurred at home or elsewhere were left out as families either did not approach the health department to delayed reporting them. But following the Supreme Court order, district-level redressal committees were formed.
The Covid victims’ kin approached those committees with death certificates, test reports and other records. The redressal committees declared that these Covid deaths should get compensation.