New Delhi : In the one-and-half years into pandemic, deaths in India surpassed 50 lakhs, claims a US study report. It also stated Covid as the biggest disaster to have struck India since independence. The study was conducted by Washington Centre For Global Development and covered timeline between January 2020 and June 2021.
As against the enormous magnitude the study suggests, our official figures on India deaths stands far less at 4.19 lakhs. The US report orients itself to sero surveys, door-to-door surveys and our official numbers on the fatalities. The report was prepared by a 3-,member team that included former financial advisor to Modi government, Arvind Subramanian.
If official death numbers of just seven states be examined, the figures show 34 lakh more deaths compared to past years. If international parameter for age-based deaths be applied to statistics here, the fatality figures cross 40 lakhs. According to home-based surveys across the states, additional deaths crossed 49 lakhs. The survey employed more than 8 lakh field staff for collecting data. Actual deaths are multiple times more than official figures given out by government here, says the report.
Authorities failed to take lessons from the 1st wave as a result of which, there was significant lack of guard when struck with the second wave, said the report. Lack of oxygen and drug supplies caused huge surges in death, it added.
