DATA FROM RURAL AREAS MAY BE GUESS WORK

When systems of data collection have not worked in urban areas and have faced many challenges, experts say using the data from rural areas is completely ruled out as those numbers will be only guess work.

Dr Santosh Kraleti, public health specialist, explained, “No two states in India have the same data matrix. Every state reports the way it suits them. There are guidelines from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases-10 but those are taken only as advisories.”

Dr Kraleti said every state medical bulletin is different and it would require comparing data from different states to understand the truth in the reporting. “Missed, underreported and unaccounted numbers are also due to the taboo in society, which is not right,” he said.

There have been examples where the death certificate of doctors and paramedical staff stating that they suffered from viral pneumonia and severe respiratory syndrome and had tested Covid-19 positive, but the cause of death is stated as cardiac arrest.

These certificates have made many in the medical fraternity ask why the death certificates do not mention Covid-19. These examples have led to public health specialists across the country to demand that the reporting of deaths has to be revised and it will require correction.

The Centre has to look into this issue as it will help to understand the disease spread, virulence and actual prevalence better. By under-reporting it is only leading to underestimating the virulence of the virus and will not help in public health management.

To have better and effective real policies it is important that real-time and right data reporting is carried out which will go a long way in strengthening public health systems and addressing gaps in the policies.

● THERE HAVE been examples where the death certificate of doctors and paramedical staff stating that they suffered from viral pneumonia and severe respiratory syndrome and had tested Covid-19 positive, but the cause of death is stated as cardiac arrest.

● THE CENTRE has to look into this issue as it will help to understand the disease spread, virulence and actual prevalence better.