Clarity over COVID death certification sought

No meeting held with DMHOs to explain procedure

November 09, 2021 11:08 pm | Updated 11:09 pm IST - HYDERABAD

Relatives and friends of COVID-deceased persons at a crematorium in Hyderabad during the peak of pandemic second wave.

Relatives and friends of COVID-deceased persons at a crematorium in Hyderabad during the peak of pandemic second wave.

A day after Telangana government notified district-level COVID-19 Death Ascertaining Committees (CDACs) for issuing ‘Official document for COVID-19 Death’, panel members have sought clarity regarding the procedure to establish the cause of deaths and other aspects.

According to the guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority, ex gratia of ₹50000 is to be paid to the next of kin of a deceased person, including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to cause of death being certified as COVID-19.

With the State government issuing an order on Monday for constituting CDACs, the demand for COVID death document is expected to rise.

“We want to understand quite a few things — will deaths of COVID patients in 2020 also have to be ascertained by CDAC or will it just pertain to fatalities in 2021; what is the procedure to be followed if someone contests that their family member died of COVID but not of any co-morbidity; how to we verify deaths of patients in private hospitals etc.,” said an officer from the State Health department, seeking anonymity.

On the panel

The CDAC will have the District Collector as chairman, District Medical Health Officer (DMHO) as member-convener and the Superintendent of headquarters hospital as a member.

No meeting was held with DMHOs to explain the procedure for seeking or approving the death document which has led to confusion. In fact, a few DMHOs found out about the committee only through news reports.

“Doubts are aplenty. When the number of applications increases, we might come across complex situations,” said a health officer.

Senior health officials were not available for comment.

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