"Sayan Das' report wasn't sent to Audit Board," Chairman; "Minister asked us not to send reports of brought dead," Abhijit Swami
Barak Bulletin published an editorial yesterday, raising questions related to the death of 26-year-old Bilpar Resident Sayan Das. Today, the superintendent of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Abhijit Swami and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, Sumit Sattavan held a conference at the Deputy Commissioner’s office to brief the press.
Sayan Das’ family said that they had rushed him to SM Dev Civil Hospital where he was kept waiting for 30 minutes and then referred to SMCH. According to the family, they reached SMCH at around 11:30 PM and they had to go rounds and rounds as the doctors refused to provide treatment unless the COVID test was done. The superintendent of SM Dev Civil Hospital told Barak Bulletin that Sayan Das was brought dead, but for “a confirmation”, he was sent to SMCH.
Till August 5, 2020, the authority did not answer any question related to Sayan Das who was cremated following the COVID protocols on July 31, 2020. Since the local authority was not revealing anything, Barak Bulletin reached out to Dr. Anup Kumar Barman, Director of Medical Education, Assam and also the chairman of Death Audit Board, constituted by the Ministry of Health to determine if the deceased’s cause of death is COVID19 infection.
While speaking to Barak Bulletin, Dr. Barman said, “Sayan Das’ reports were not sent to death audit board by the authority at SMCH.” He added, “The Principal of SMCH informed me that late Sayan Das was dead before admission and that is why the reports were not sent for audit.”
It is worth recalling here that Narshingpur resident, 85-year-old, Shantibala Nath had succumbed on July 10, 2020, at her own residence. On July 12, the official spokesperson of the District Health Department informed that she has tested positive after death and that is why her reports have been sent to the death audit board. The same was communicated for many other deceased who tested positive after death either in the hospital or at home.
As done in other cases, why were Sayan Das’ reports not sent for audit to the state-level board? When asked this question, Superintendent, Dr. Abhijit Swami replied, “Recently, during a video conference, the Hon’ble Minister of Health, (Himanta Biswa Sarma) asked us not to send reports of brought dead individuals to the board for audit. That is why Sayan Das’ reports were not sent to the audit board. Yes, it is true that earlier we used to send reports of brought dead patients to the death audit board, but now we don’t do it anymore.”
Sharing more details about the particular case, Swami said, “He was brought dead at 2:01 AM on July 31, 2020, as per our medical records. We have determined Pneumonia as his cause of death though his samples tested positive for COVID19 and there is no doubt he had coronavirus infection.”
Dr. Swami added, “Pneumonia can be of several types, bacterial Pneumonia, viral Pneumonia, atypical pathogen Pneumonia, a chemical reaction can cause Pneumonia if someone consumes toxic pills that would also cause Pneumonia. To identify the cause of Pneumonia an autopsy needs to be done. In the case of Sayan Das, we have determined the cause of death as Pneumonia considering his medical history.”
It is worth mentioning here that the Vice Principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital and the family members had said that Sayan Das’ body has been sent to the concerned department for an autopsy. The same was reported in several publications. However, on August 3, 2020, it got revealed that Sayan Das’ post mortem was not performed at SMCH.
Since the consumption of toxic pills can cause Pneumonia, which is an indication of unnatural death, why did the SMCH authority not perform an autopsy? “Because of the risk involved in it,” said the superintendent. Dr. Swami explained, “To conduct the autopsy, the lung tissue needs to be processed through Histopathology, (The diagnosis and study of diseases of the tissues) and that could put the entire pathology department at risk (since Sayan Das had already tested positive for COVID19).”
For the benefit of the readers, On August 3, 2020, Dr. Gunajit Das head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, SMCH performed post mortem of a lady who tested positive for COVID19. What changed between July 31, and August 3 that the unsafe became safe? could be the nature of autopsy.
Responding to Sayan Das’ family’s allegation that they had to go “rounds and rounds” of SMCH seeking treatment, the Superintendent said that could be because the structure of SMCH had to be changed. “Our trauma casualty is now functioning as a COVID Screening Centre, Medicine Casualty has been converted to COVID admission centre and the Outdoor Patient Department is functioning as the Casualty department. So, till 2:00 PM its OPD and after that its Casualty. This change in structure was forced by the outbreak of the virus,” said Swami.
Better late than never, Swami did answer the questions raised to him and settled the dust a bit. While the fact that the postmortem was not performed remains an astonishment, especially when the Superintendent himself is saying that consumption of toxic substances can cause Pneumonia which is the possible cause of death in Sayan Das’ case. What also remains unanswered is while Sayan Das was brought dead at 2:01 AM does that mean he was alive at 11:30 PM when the family says they reached SMCH.
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