Goa Opposition outrage over unreported Covid-19 deaths

The Opposition in Goa on Tuesday called for the heads of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, after the latter's ministry revealed that private hospitals in the state had kept the records of 72 Covid-related deaths from August 2020 to May this year, under wraps.

While Congress has demanded the resignation of Sawant and Rane, the Aam Aadmi Party has demanded a judicial probe into the late reporting of Covid deaths in the state by the private sector.

"Seventy two Covid deaths were kept hidden from government records for months. This is scandalous. The government has really cheated the people of Goa, who fully need to know the data related to the pandemic. Rane and Sawant must resign instantly for this sinister plot," state Congress spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar told a press conference on Tuesday.
Late on Tuesday, in its daily official statement related to Covid-19 deaths and new infections, the Health Ministry had said that 67 Covid-related deaths were reported late by private hospitals in the state.

"67 additional death cases are added to the cumulative deaths, which were of the period August 5, 2020, to May 22, 2021, and have been reported late from private hospitals. The appropriate action of public health act will be initiated against these hospitals," the statement said.

On Tuesday, the Health Ministry said that it was informed about five more previously unreported Covid deaths, by more private hospitals in Goa, taking the cumulative tally of previously unreported deaths to 72.

The Aam Aadmi Party has also demanded a judicial probe into the issue.

"@DrPramodPSawant @visrane why are the 67 deaths from Aug 20 to May 21 in fine print as footnote. We demand a judicial enquiry why 67 deaths from Aug 20 were not reported.
This govt knows only to betray people of Goa," state AAP convenor Rahul Mhambre tweeted.

The Goa government is already on the backfoot over the more than 80 deaths due to oxygen shortage when the second Covid wave was at its peak in the state more than a month back.