NEW DELHI: The BJP came out strongly against the WHO data on India’s official Covid toll, alleging that the global agency prepared its report from unverified sources instead of taking help from the country’s robust registration system.
“WHO’s methodology to estimate deaths in India is flawed and inaccurate. India has strongly objected to the WHO over such report which seems to be based on assumption and obtained from unverified sources,” BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, adding that the figures do not look statistically sound and scientifically acceptable.
“There are four important steps on the basis of which we believe the WHO data is wrong. The first is the method used by the WHO is wrong. Sources of data are unverified. The third (objection) is criteria through which the WHO has placed India in Tier-2 country and the fourth is the use of assumption for imaginary analysis of data.”
The World Health Organisation has put the number of Covid deaths in India at around 4.7 million, which is 10-times the official count. The mathematical model, which was used by the WHO to prepare report on Covid deaths, has always been questioned by India, Patra said.
“A robust system is in place as far as registration of birth and death is concerned through the Civil Registration System under the Registrar General of India. This system is in practice since 1969. It is not proper to make calculation of deaths through other model despite the presence of a robust system in India,” the BJP spokesperson said.