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Re: India Dengue 2012
Doctor claims he was asked to lie about dengue deaths
Mid-Day.com | Updated: December 10, 2012 13:39 IST
Mumbai: Last week, a report in MiD DAY spoke of the ongoing dissension between the municipal corporation and some NGOs over the number of reported dengue cases in the city, with the latter pointing out that figures released by the BMC fall far short of accurate ('Is dengue really on the decline in Mumbai?' December 7).
Turns out the NGOs aren't the only ones who feel that the civic body is trying to manipulate figures to mislead the masses.
A doctor who is a member of the Maharashtra Malarial Death Review Committee has added credence to their claims, admitting that he and his colleagues have been facing constant pressure from officials of BMC and the State Health Department to avoid mentioning dengue as the primary cause of death while they review cases.
The Malarial Death Review Committee consists of several doctors and experts appointed by the state health department and the BMC. Its primary responsibility is to review the cause of death of a malaria or dengue patient and then declare the primary cause of death.
The doctor who requested anonymity, said, "We at the committee are asked to review the actual cause of death of malaria and dengue patients. Though the death certificate issued to a victim may already mention the cause of his death - both primary, such as dengue, and morbid, such as the organ failure stemming from dengue - a case can come to our committee if the BMC or the state health department feels that there is need for reviewing."
Asked if BMC's statistics regarding dengue deaths were accurate, he said emphatically, "One word answer to this question is 'NO'. The actual numbers are much higher than the declared ones. Being in the committee, I know very well how many people die due to dengue."
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Doctor claims he was asked to lie about dengue deaths
Mid-Day.com | Updated: December 10, 2012 13:39 IST
Mumbai: Last week, a report in MiD DAY spoke of the ongoing dissension between the municipal corporation and some NGOs over the number of reported dengue cases in the city, with the latter pointing out that figures released by the BMC fall far short of accurate ('Is dengue really on the decline in Mumbai?' December 7).
Turns out the NGOs aren't the only ones who feel that the civic body is trying to manipulate figures to mislead the masses.
A doctor who is a member of the Maharashtra Malarial Death Review Committee has added credence to their claims, admitting that he and his colleagues have been facing constant pressure from officials of BMC and the State Health Department to avoid mentioning dengue as the primary cause of death while they review cases.
The Malarial Death Review Committee consists of several doctors and experts appointed by the state health department and the BMC. Its primary responsibility is to review the cause of death of a malaria or dengue patient and then declare the primary cause of death.
The doctor who requested anonymity, said, "We at the committee are asked to review the actual cause of death of malaria and dengue patients. Though the death certificate issued to a victim may already mention the cause of his death - both primary, such as dengue, and morbid, such as the organ failure stemming from dengue - a case can come to our committee if the BMC or the state health department feels that there is need for reviewing."
Asked if BMC's statistics regarding dengue deaths were accurate, he said emphatically, "One word answer to this question is 'NO'. The actual numbers are much higher than the declared ones. Being in the committee, I know very well how many people die due to dengue."
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