SHILLONG, Aug 6: Out of the 1,133 COVID-19 casualties in the state as on August 5, families of 316 have so far received a one-time ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000 while many are unable to submit papers owing to lack of death certificate.
The Chief Minister’s Secretariat, in a statement, informed that as on August 4, Rs 1.58 crore has been disbursed into the bank account of the next of kin of these 316 who succumbed to the COVID-19 across the state.
The number of beneficiaries who had received the one-time ex gratia payment in the various districts include East Khasi Hills (142), North Garo Hills (15), South West Garo Hills (9), West Jaintia Hills (20), East Jaintia Hills (38), Ri-Bhoi (37), South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills (26 each), East Garo Hills (two) and South West Khasi Hills (one). So far, no one has received the one-time ex gratia payment in West Khasi Hills.
According to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the deputy commissioners, upon confirmation and verification that deaths have occurred in the district due to COVID-19, will collect the details of the deceased.
It further stated that the name of the next of kin along with their bank account details is forwarded to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat for release of ex gratia.
Meanwhile, there is confusion over the death certificate which is issued by the Municipality on the patient who died of COVID-19 at the hospitals since there is no mention about the cause of death.
Many of the family members expressed concern since there is no mention of the cause of death.
Clarifying on this, a senior official informed that the copy of the death summary report of people who died of COVID-19 either in the hospitals, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) are available with the Incidents Commanders or the Block Development Officers.
According to the senior official, the family is not required to submit the death summary report.
He also clarified that the cause of death is never mentioned in the death certificate.
The official also informed that the Block Development Officer (BDO) and Incident Commanders only collect the details of the next of kin who will receive the ex gratia payment which include EPIC and the bank account details.
He informed that the BDOs assigned the Gram Sevak to collect the details of the next of kin even as they sought the help of Dorbar Shnong to help in submitting the details of the next of kin.
After the details of the next of kin is collected, a senior official said that the BDOs or the Incident Commanders and the Medical Officer will certify and sign the details of the next of kin which is forwarded to the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).
According to him, they will also attach the death summary report, EPIC and bank account details of the next of kin in the forwarding letter.
Informing that the DDMA will then submit the details of the next of kin to the deputy commissioners, a senior official said that the deputy commissioners would sign on the same forwarding letter and send to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat for disbursement of the ex gratia payment to the next of kin of those who died of COVID-19.
When asked about those who died at home, he said that the death summary report is issued by the PHC and CHC who had gone to do the testing at home to confirm if it is a COVID-19 death.
However, confusion has continued to prevail. Take the case of Leo Pathaw who died of COVID-19 at Woodland Hospital on June 18, Cleophas Kharliiu, the deceased’s son, of Nongmensong Umkdait said that all he got was a phone call from the Mawpat Block Development Office.
According to Kharliiu, no one has come to collect the details to receive the one-time ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000 as assured by the Meghalaya Government.
Brother-in-law of Pradeep Boro who died of COVID-19 on May 20, Krensing Synnah of Dhankheti informed that they are yet to receive the ex gratia even after submitting all details to the secretary of Malki Dorbar Shnong through WhatsApp on June 23.
He was apprehensive that it will be difficult for them to claim that his brother-in-law had died of COVID-19 since there is no mention in the death certificate about the cause of death.
