Why are we hiding actual deaths: IMA to Centre

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 8

The Indian Medical Association on Saturday wrote to the Health Ministry asking for an urgent national lockdown to give a breather to the health systems and doctors and asked why the Centre was hiding deaths.

The letter came as daily deaths hit a record 4,187 COVID-19 and daily cases were 4,01,078.

“In the last 20 days IMA has been insisting on the need for a national lockdown rather than a few states declaring lockdowns for 10 to 15 days so as to get breathing time for health infrastructure to replenish materials and manpower. Lockdown will break the chain of this devastating spread. Yet the Centre has refused to head to lockdown resulting in 4 lakh new patients every day,” the IMA said.

Questioning the differential vaccine pricing policy the IMA also flagged the deepening oxygen crisis apart from shortage of steroids at many places.

The IMA also questioned underreporting of Covid data saying “we have lost 756 doctors in the first wave and 146 rapidly in the second. Hundreds of deaths in bug hospitals are being shown as non Covid and crematoriums are full. 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,” said the IMA asking the Centre to wake up from its slumber.

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