Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre over WHO Covid death numbers

New Delhi, May 6 (IANS): Political blame game has begun a day after the WHO released data on the Covid deaths, which is about ten times higher than what the Centre has claimed.

The Modi-led government has refuted the WHO claims, raising objection to the process and methodology.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday tweeted, “47 lakh Indians died due to the Covid pandemic. NOT 4.8 lakh as claimed by the Govt. Science doesn’t LIE. Modi does. Respect families who’ve lost loved ones. Support them with the mandated INR 4 lakh compensation.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that almost 15 million deaths globally were directly or indirectly associated with the Covid-19 pandemic by the end of 2021.

The WHO said most of the excess deaths — 84 per cent — were concentrated in South-East Asia, Europe and the Americas, and some 68 per cent in just ten countries globally. Middle-income countries accounted for 81 per cent of the 14.9 million excess deaths, while high-income and low-income countries each accounted for 15 and 4 per cent, respectively.

The global death toll was higher for men (57 per cent) than for women (43 per cent) and higher among older adults.

India has objected to the methodology adopted by the WHO to project excess mortality estimates based on mathematical models, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

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

“India had also informed the WHO that in view of the availability of authentic data published through the Civil Registration System (CRS) by Registrar General of India (RGI), mathematical models should not be used for projecting excess mortality numbers for India,” it said.