Why are we hiding actual number of Covid deaths? IMA asks Centre

May 8: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to the Union Health Ministry wherein it stated that the ministry should ‘wake up’ and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘IMA demands the health ministry to wake up from its slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. IMA is astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions from the ministry of health in combating the agonising crisis born out of the devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic,’ it said.

The statement said for the last 20 days, the IMA has been insisting for a complete and well-planned national lockdown to ramp up health infrastructure and replenish both material and manpower. ‘However, the central government has refused to implement lockdown, resulting in mounting of new patients beyond four lakhs every day and the number of moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 per cent. Sporadic night curfews have not done any good. Life is precious than the economy,’ the IMA said.

The letter from IMA came as daily deaths hit a record 4,187 COVID-19 and daily cases were 4,01,078. ‘Hundreds of deaths happening in big hospitals are shown as non-COVID deaths and crematoriums are showing houseful boards. Why are we trying to hide actual deaths?’ it said. “RTPCR negative but CT scan positive cases are not being counted. Why are we trying to hide actual deaths? If people know about actual deaths, seriousness about Covid behaviour will rise,” stated the IMA.

Claiming that the crisis of oxygen is deepening every day, the IMA said though there is enough production it is often the distribution which is not proper. ‘Imported oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants are yet to reach beneficiaries. IMA appeal, as the time is running out with the impending crisis lest we deepen the crisis, solve it on a war footing,’ it said.

The IMA demanded capping of prices of life-saving drugs and removing GST from them. ‘We also demand to establish a new integrated ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front,’ it said.

In the letter, the Association has alleged that suggestions of its members and other colleagues are “put in to the dustbin” and that decisions regarding the pandemic are taken without understanding ground realities.