ROURKELA: The Sundargarh administration has formed two Covid-19 death ascertaining committees (CDACs) for Rourkela and rest of the district.
The committees will ensure transparency in declaration of Covid-related deaths and help kin of victims in availing different benefits. The administration on Saturday issued a statement on formation of the CDACs as per the government instruction for compliance with guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.
The move assumes significance in the backdrop of widespread allegations of under-reporting of Covid-related deaths in the district.
So far, Sundargarh has officially reported 584 Covid-19 deaths including 411 in the second wave. With the CDACs becoming operational, the Covid death toll in Sundargarh is likely to go up significantly.
Sources said during peak of the deadly second wave of the pandemic from mid-April, the designated Covid-19 hospitals in Rourkela and Sundargarh town had reported unprecedented numbers of deaths. However, the administration allegedly suppressed the real death figures.
Chief district medical officer Dr SK Mishra said following a letter from the Health and Family Welfare department on October 5 2021, CDACs Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits and rest of Sundargarh were formed on Saturday after due approval from the district Collector.
The committees have been authorised to audit and issue official documents for Covid-related deaths to the kin of victims.
This initiative would ensure transparency and remove ambiguity as previously, families of patients who succumbed outside hospitals or at homes, faced difficulty in getting the deaths approved as Covid related, he added.