Medically certify cause of each death, Chandigarh told

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 1

The Directorate of Census Operations has directed the UT Administration to have 100 per cent medical certification of cause of deaths for all fatalities taking place in the city.

The direction came during a meeting of the state-level census coordination committee held under the chairmanship of UT Adviser Dharam Pal today. Detailed presentations on different aspects of census, civil registration system, mapping work, medical certification of cause of death, etc, were given during the meeting.

Dr Abhishek Jain, Director, Census Operations, Chandigarh and Punjab, Ministry of Home Affairs, stated that census was the biggest administrative and statistical exercise in the country, adding that it was conducted with the active cooperation and participation of the state government machinery.

An important issue highlighted during the meeting was the need to have 100 per cent medical certification of the cause of deaths taking place in Chandigarh, including all Covid-19 fatalities. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and a Supreme Court order dated June 30, 2021, mandate medical certification of cause of death in each case.

However, a medical expert said it was difficult to determine the cause of death of every person brought dead at hospital. The cause of death could be determined after a post-mortem examination, but in most cases, kin refused to get the autopsy done, the expert added.

The UT authorities were directed to conduct inspection of both government and private hospitals to ensure 100 per cent registration of birth and death. Information signboard would also be installed at prominent places in all hospitals informing public about birth and death registration.