Bihar saw 2 lakh COVID related deaths: CPI(ML)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML)] has estimated that there were nearly two lakh COVID 19 related deaths in Bihar. The party released a report today, based on a survey conducted by it in several districts of the state.

Bihar CPI(ML) general secretary Kunal said at the time of the release of the report-‘Truth of the COVID 2nd Wave’—that it is based on the survey of only four per cent of villages in the state, yet the surveyors registered 7,200 deaths. “Bihar has about 50,000 villages, big and small. If our team had been able to survey urban areas the figures would have been even higher. Of the people who died of COVID symptoms 15.47 per cent tested positive, though only 19.91 per cent were tested for COVID, with 80.81 per cent of those with COVID symptoms going untested. Of the total number of deceased surveyed by us, 3957 were treated in rural hospitals, 2767 in private hospitals and a mere 1260 in government hospitals,” Kunal said in his inaugural address at the release of the report. He added that till the time of the finalisation of the report, families of only 25 persons deceased due to COVID had received compensation.

The report was released at a people’s convention at the party’s Patna office on ‘Swastha Bihar-Hamara Adhikar’ (A Healthy Bihar-Our Right). Among those present were CPI(ML) Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, renowned physician Dr Satyajit Singh, former National Vice President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Dr P N P Pal, environmental activist Ranjeev Kumar, State Secretary Kunal and Samkaleen Lokyuddh Editor Santosh Sahar. documentary film 'Tragedy of the Century, Lies Told by the Ruling Powers' was screened on the occasion.

Dipankar said that what they saw and felt during the COVID pandemic needs to become an issue for a movement. “The government does not want this to become an issue and is busy doing propaganda that the government must be thanked as people have got the vaccine. The government says that if a few have died, it is no big deal, Modi Ji has saved the country. This lie has to be exposed.

“Our report says that the actual death numbers are at least 20 times more than government figures. It is now not correct to say that so many deaths happened due to COVID; in fact, these deaths are due to government negligence. This is a massacre. When people needed oxygen, the government failed to make oxygen available to them. Despite the COVID first wave the government made no effort to improve the health system. Had there been enough effective hospitals, deaths would not have occurred on such an extensive scale. The government did nothing for the people; on the contrary it did a lot to hinder them. The pain caused to the people must be accounted for. A movement on the issue of health needs to be organised. We have to be prepared on all levels to ensure compensation for the victims and prevent repetition of such a massacre. This booklet and this film are materials for such a movement. They are tools for launching the movement and should be shared extensively,” the party said in a press announcement quoting Dipankar.

While Dr Singh said that this people's convention gives us hope that the health system will be improved and people will force the government to allot at least six per cent of the health budget, Dr Pal said that all governments in the country are bent on benefiting corporate houses in health, education, transport and other sectors.