Jharkhand reported as many as 10 deaths due to medical negligence in the year 2020, the fifth highest among States and Union Territories in India, the latest ‘Crime in India’ report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed.

The first wave of Covid-19 pandemic hit the tribal State in March 2020, leading to a crisis of beds in hospitals and drugs used for treating Covid patients. While the medical infrastructure in the State was gradually enhanced to face the Covid crisis, many patients had to suffer during the initial phase of the pandemic, sources from hospitals said.   

As per NCRB records, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of deaths due to medical negligence in 2020, followed by Rajasthan, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. At least 29 people died due to medical negligence in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, while 23 died in Rajasthan, 16 in Telangana and 11 in Madhya Pradesh during this period.

As per records with the state health department, about 1000 Jharkhand residents died of Covid-19 in year 2020. The toll was at least three times higher during the second wave of the pandemic in year 2021. 

While NCRB has not defined medical negligence in context of its annual report, most legal websites define medical negligence as misconduct by a medical practitioner or doctor by not providing enough care resulting in breach of their duties.

Jharkhand, however, reported zero deaths due to negligence of civic bodies in 2020. At least 13 deaths occurred in Jharkhand due to negligence relating to rail accidents, while as many as 2930 state residents died due to negligence related to road accidents that year, the NCRB report highlighted.

A total of 135 deaths due to medical negligence were reported in India in 2020, while 53 people died due to negligence of civic bodies and 52 due to negligence relating to rail accidents, NCRB data revealed. At least 1,33,715 people died due to negligence relating to road accidents in India during this period, NCRB data further highlighted.

Even during the Covid crisis, superstition continued to cause deaths in rural areas of the state. As per NCRB data, at least 15 women were killed in Jharkhand on charges of practicing witchcraft in 2020, the third highest among states in India. At least one person also fell prey to the superstitious practice of human sacrifice, NCRB report stated.