'COVID status' on death certificate hinders orphaned children from claiming relief

Officials say they have been gathering data on COVID deaths and updating it. Moreover, in case of any discrepancies in the death certificates, the family can raise the concern with the respective hospital.

The registration of deaths by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine due to COVID and other comorbidities are often getting mismatched as the deaths increased manifold in April and May.

"There are factors such as registration of deaths due to COVID, deaths due to complications related to COVID post-recovery, deaths due to comorbidities as the patients test positive and deaths due to COVID-unrelated factors. However, the categorisation is not so broad and the breadwinner scheme for the benefit of children who lost one or both parents should," said a senior health official from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

Recently, Health Minister Ma Subramanian clarified the allegations of non-transparency in COVID death registrations by stating that Guidance for appropriate recording of COVID-19 related deaths in India, issued by the ICMR-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, is being followed in the State.

Experts say the underlying cause of deaths can differ from the COVID status of the patient and many of them can develop other ailments due to COVID but test negative. "We have to define the COVID status that should include recovery phase, initial phase and even there are false negatives. If the underlying cause of death is COVID, the death should be considered as a COVID death and a child losing a parent or both due to any illness should be given the benefit, irrespective of their COVID status. This should be certified by a doctor to avoid confusion," said former public health director Dr K Kolandaisamy.

He added that as the cases and deaths due to COVID surged significantly, there are chances of missing out on the details of the cause of death and others, but these can be reviewed and should not be an obstacle for any welfare scheme.

"Death certificates don't mention the cause of death and it is only a medical intimation of death. The social welfare department that has been overseeing the scheme has made modifications on accepting the entries and a death certificate is not necessary for the same as only a medical intimation of death is issued. However, the State health department has instructed the hospitals to review the death certificates in case the relatives of the child are suspecting any discrepancies," said health secretary J Radhakrishnan.