Keeping findings of probe panels under wrap
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: June 10, 2021 -

IT is obvious that none would hold a grudge in case the government authorities promptly launch investigation into any unwanted incidents but the same initiative will neither be acceptable to the concerned parties nor serve the purpose if the findings are not made public.

For instance, ever since the pandemic broke out and affected the state, numerous committees had been constituted to determine factors for the spread of the pandemic, public dissent due to inordinate delays in securing hospital admission, deaths of Covid patients, allegations over lack of compassion among the healthcare service providers, problems of shortage of medical oxygen in the initial stages of the second wave, oversee establishment of community home isolation centres and create mass awareness to check infection of the virulent disease, to name a few.

Most of these committees consisted of medical practitioners, administrative officers, elected people's representatives and members of civil societies.

Though tasks of the committees have been vividly specified, deadlines set to complete the investigation and provide suggestions to prevent recurrence of unwanted incidents in order to minimise public outrage, the findings have neither been placed in the public domain nor any punitive action processed against the individuals or institutions concerned.

Had the government cared to reveal the findings, not only would the public suspicion that medical negligence, if any, might be one of the reasons for the deaths of Covid patients especially during the second wave of the pandemic, would subside but also encourage the masses to assist the government in taking up appropriate effective measures to keep the contagion under control.

However, with the findings continued to be kept concealed it is but natural for the public to raise hue and cry whenever any unwanted incidents occur.

Public apprehension over possible medical negligence is exactly the premise for formation of the Joint Action Committee in connection with the death of a lactating mother in Thoubal district, who died on Monday few hours after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.

In the aftermath of the JAC contending that the vaccination is the only cause for the woman succumbing and demanding proper investigation into her death, the Health and Family Welfare Department constituting a two-member enquiry committee within hours of the incident is indeed commendable as the incident has the potential to derail the government's objective to inoculate all the eligible beneficiaries at the shortest possible time.

As the probe panel has been given a fortnight's duration to investigate and submit relevant reports, it is hoped that the findings will be made public this time instead of keeping it under wrap as had been the case of the other committees formed earlier.

It is pertinent to mention here that in early August 2020, demise of a pregnant tribal woman due to alleged denial of treatment in both government and private hospitals triggered massive public outrage and compelled the government to instantly form a fact finding committee which was tasked to submit its findings within a week.

Interestingly, the government ordered the investigation as the pregnant tribal woman died amid outcries of death of a non-Covid patient from Lilong area after the latter was referred from one hospital to another rather than being promptly attended to.

However, in-spite of the prompt constitution of the committee to investigate into circumstances that led to the death of the tribal woman ringing out the message that the medical professionals, if found guilty, will have to face the music, the findings were not placed for public purview naturally compelling one to suspect that ordering investigations into such cases is merely to divert public attention.

As such, the government should entrust the probe panels to point out the flaws, if any, in the system and share remedial measures as well as place the reports in the public domain to maintain full transparency and prove the detractors wrong.