Govt dismisses reports on LIC IPO data claiming massive COVID deaths in 2021

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday rejected as "speculative" media reports pertaining to LIC IPO data which claimed that COVID-19-related deaths in 2021 could be much higher than those recorded officially.

India suffered the catastrophic second wave of the coronavirus pandemic during the months of April and May in 2021. The ministry clarified on Saturday that the country has a very transparent and effective system of reporting COVID-related deaths, from the gram panchayat level to the district and state level. 

The procedure of reporting deaths is tracked and carried out transparently, it noted in a statement.

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The ministry further added that the media report related to IPOs proposed to be issued by the LIC has mentioned the details of policies and claims settled by the insurer to make a "speculative and biased" interpretation that Covid-related mortalities could be more than those recorded officially 

"It is clarified that these reports are speculative and baseless," it said. 

While claims settled by LIC relate to life insurance policies taken by policyholders for deaths due to all causes, the news reports conclude that this would imply Covid deaths were underreported, the statement said. 

"A flawed interpretation like this is not based on facts and highlights the bias of the author." It also reveals a lack of understanding of how Covid deaths in India have been collated and published daily in the public domain since the beginning of the pandemic, it stated. 

The government has adopted a globally recognised categorisation to classify Covid deaths with the sole objective of reporting deaths in a transparent manner, it said. 

In the model so adopted, the compilation of the total deaths is undertaken by the Centre based on the independent reporting by the states, the statement said. 

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Furthermore, the government has time and again exhorted states to periodically update their mortality figures as this exercise would accentuate the efforts of public health response to COVID-19 by giving a true picture of the pandemic, it said. 

In addition to this, it must be noted that there is an added incentive in India to report COVID-19 deaths as it entitles one to monetary compensation which further makes the likelihood of underreporting scarce, the statement said. 

Therefore, jumping on any conclusion regarding underreporting of deaths is tantamount to mere speculation and conjecturing, it added. 

"Thus, it is highlighted that quoting issues as sensitive as death during a global public health crisis like pandemic Covid -19 should be dealt with utmost sensitivity and authenticity," the statement said. 

India has a robust Civil Registration System (CRS) and Sample Registration System (SRS) which was in place even before the COVID-19 pandemic and covers all states and union territories, the government said. 

It is also highlighted that the registration of deaths in the country has legal backing, it said, adding the registration is done under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act, 1969) by functionaries appointed by state governments. 

Thus, data generated through CRS has utmost credibility and should be used rather than depending on unauthenticated data, the statement said. 

(With inputs from PTI.)