Assam Government: Hospitals must issue death certificates to kin of COVID victims

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has released an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to issue death certificates in the event of death of a COVID-19 positive patient in the government/private hospitals of the State.

According to the SOP, in the event of death of a COVID-19 positive patient in the hospital due to COVID-19 related complications with or without having any co-morbid factors, the immediate family members/guardian shall be informed regarding the death of the person. The doctor in charge shall report to the Superintendent of the Hospital and also to the State Death Audit Board immediately along with the prescribed proforma.

In case of any unnatural death with COVID-19 positive status such as suicidal/homicidal death, it shall be reported for medico-legal procedures as per the existing norms.

The Superintendent/in-charge of the COVID facility/institution shall intimate the concerned district administration for disposal of the dead body as per the existing SOP.

After reporting to the concerned authority of the Hospital, the dead body would be kept in a morgue of the Hospital till its disposal through the District Administration.

The dead body of a person with COVID-10 positive status shall be handed over to the district administration for cremation following all formalities and procedures as per the existing SOP and a provisional death certificate duly signed by the doctor in charge shall be issued to the family members of the deceased person.

The State Death Audit Board shall review the death based on the information stated in the proforma and shall intimate their views to the Superintendent of the Hospitals on the same day/next day in case of late evening death intimation.

The family members shall apply for the original death certificate of the deceased person in a prescribed application form along with the provisional death certificate issued by the hospital authority in the death and birth registry section of the concerned hospital within 21 days of the death of the person to obtain the original death certificate.

After getting the above information and scrutiny, the concerned Registrar of Births and Deaths for the area (for every area Registrar is already notified) shall have to register the death event and issue a death certificate immediately.

In cases of an application made beyond 21 days, up to 30 days application can be made to the registrar with a nominal fee and beyond 30 days up to one year by submitting an affidavit. Beyond one year, permission for 'Delayed death registration' will be given by the Deputy Commissioner office to issue the Death Certificate by the Registrar as per the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.

It is to be noted that, till July 15, a total of 4,937 people have died due to COVID-19 in the State.

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