STATISTICS is a mathematical system using scientific instruments that provides us a quantitative or qualitative picture of a situation, demographics, economics, politics or health.
In the case of Covid-19, we always get official statistics from the Department of Health (DOH) or the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF).
Frankly, without personal disrespect for anyone concerned, I have often doubted the statistical reports of DOH spokesperson and the NIATF regarding Covid cases, deaths and recoveries. To me, their reports are a big mess, to the point that I question whether the reported facts are truth or lies.
I asked some independent-minded local doctors and critical observers in the city and province who begged to be anonymous on the statistics of Covid cases; I find their information and observations seriously disturbing.
These doctors have made me understand that Bacolod City and the province of Negros Occidental have to submit all their swab tests and rapid test results to the regional DOH and wait for three to five days for official results, and then send these to the NIATF review and validation center.
I asked why, and they return to me the same question, why?
Indeed, why send results to the region to do the test processing without transparency, instead of having the local health units equipped to do it and with transparency rule? Why for three to five days when it could be done in a day according to some independent medical and technical experts?
Why still send regional test findings to the NIATF for the official announcements of who are infected, non-infected, recovered, etc. when the region could immediately inform the locals of the results to be able to act on them quickly, and avoid backlogs or what they call late cases when in fact they are no different from new cases?
Is the sending of local swab tests to the region then to national an internationally-adaptive standard procedure, or effective strategy, or simply a deliberate scheme to manipulate statistics for vested political end?
Why do some regions or provinces critical of the administration who particularly doubt the capacity and credibility of the national IATF have reportedly higher Covid incidence rates, while those who are not have registered less?
Are all these a form of dagdag-bawas scheme so that the national IATF, dominated by generals and politicians, could weaponize the statistics to whoever they want to discredit or destabilize?
NCR Covid cases are reportedly on the rise, but now the DOH seems to be giving more stress to recoveries and deaths. But if one just looks into all the data one easily gets a headache and confusion.
Honestly, I don’t know, but I also give it a big doubt simply for its lack of transparency, credibility and professionalism.
By the way, I got information from the doctors that Bacolod City health office and its mobile swab test centers undertake an average of 230-300 swab tests daily, while the regional hospital (CLMMRH) in the city, reportedly conduct 100 swab tests only per day, when they have 10 main departments with resident doctors and specialists and better equipment who can conduct several hundred if they really wanted to.
Again, why? Is this a deliberate scheme of the regional hospital to mess up or even deescalate the fight against Covid? Why?
Getting all these local pictures of Covid situation also gives me a chill that similar stories abroad, tell of people allegedly under the payroll of WHO and big pharma companies in control of Covid statistics centers, who reportedly offer big monetary and other incentives to hospitals, clinics and medical people who report higher Covid incidences.
For now, all I could think of doing is to enlighten us all of the bigger picture, and for that I encourage critically minded citizens to study well the patterns of statistical reports, try to investigate, validate, interpolate and triangulate them, to get real facts behind the stories.
I likewise encourage LGUs to given this a critical view and analysis and do what is best for their constituents. The same for the CSOs, NGOs and POs, and the private sector, to assert a demand for more responsible governance, transparency and accountability.
Something should be done to unravel the truth, and save our people and society from the madness of some powerful people.