India has maximum Covid deaths, says WHO; incorrect, says Government

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, May 05, 2022: India has strongly refuted the World Health Organisation’s use of mathematical model to calculate the number of Covid deaths, saying the "figure is totally removed from reality". Contending that the country has an "extremely robust" system of births and deaths registration, the Union health ministry, in its rebuttal, called the WHO’s system of data collection "statistically unsound and scientifically questionable". 

 

In a report released today, WHO said between January 2020 and December 2021, there were 4.7 million Covid deaths in India -- 10 times the official figures and almost a third of Covid deaths globally. The global figure, according to the report, was 15 million -- more than double the official figure of 6 million.

India has recorded roughly 520,000 fatalities due to Covid in the same period.

"India has consistently questioned WHO’s own admission that data in respect of seventeen Indian states was obtained from some websites and media reports and was used in their mathematical model," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

"This reflects a statistically unsound and scientifically questionable methodology of data collection for making excess mortality projections in case of India," the statement added.

"Despite India’s objection to the process, methodology and outcome of this modelling exercise, WHO has released the excess mortality estimates without adequately addressing India’s concerns," the ministry said.