Under-reported Covid deaths, inflated bills: PAC suggests probe by independent agency

The PAC, which analysed action taken during the pandemic by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, tabled its report to the state legislature recently, highlighting irregularities in the procurement of medicines and equipment required during the period.

One of the major issues raised by the report was “under-reporting of deaths” in state. “The Directorate of Economics and Statistics has informed that the total number of deaths between January and July 2021 was 4,26,943. The number during the same period in 2020 was 2,69,029,” the committee said, noting that the increase in the deaths during the same period in the two years was 1,57,914.

“Shockingly, officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department told the committee on August 24, 2021 that the total number of deaths was only 37,206… They irresponsibly reduced the number of deaths by 1,20,708,” the report said, urging the government to compensate the remaining victims who died due to the pandemic.

It also accused officials of the department of supplying ventilators received under PM-CARES to private hospitals, rather than district and taluk government hospitals during the course of the pandemic. While officials of the department said the ventilators were returned to the government once the Covid situation eased, the PAC said the distribution of ventilators to private hospitals during the peak of Covid pandemic was “unjustifiable”.

The key issues flagged by the committee included irregularities in procuring three-part hematology cell counts, five-part hematology cell counts, excess expenditure on procurement of rapid antigen test kits, expenditure incurred on black fungus disease and medicine shortage in state among others.

The PAC also recommended action against officials for failing to furnish the information sought. In several instances, officials misled the committee with improper information, the report said.