Medical Certification of Cause of Death

Reliable cause specific mortality statistics is required on a regular basis by Administrators, Policy Planners, Researchers and other Professionals for evidence based decision making with regard to resource allocation, monitoring of indicators, identifying priorities for programmes and other related activities in the area of Public health. Keeping this in view the scheme of medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) was introduced in the country under the provisions of Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969. Section 10(2) of the Act empowers the State Government to enforce the provision relating to Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) in specified areas taking into consideration the availability of medical facilities. Section 10(3) of the Act provides issuing a certificate of the cause of death by the medical practitioner who has attended the deceased at the time of death.

In Kerala the scheme has been introduced in four corporation viz; Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Kozhikode and Alappuzha municipality. The necessary data is collected in the prescribed forms (Form No. 4 for Institutional deaths and Form no 4A for Non-institutional deaths). Both these forms are supposed to be filled-up by the medical professionals attending to the deceased at the time of terminal illness. Thereafter, these forms are to be sent to the concerned Registrars of Births and Deaths for tabulation as per National list, based on Tenth revision of International classification of Disease (ICD 10), for onward transmission to the Additional Chief Registrar’s office. The State Subsequently sends it to the office of the Registrar General of India in the standardized format for National level consolidation.

 

 

 

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