This story is from June 3, 2020

Identity codes for Covid-19 patients in Assam's Bongaigaon

Authorities are using codes, instead of names, for each Covid-19 patient in Assam's Bongaigaon district to conceal their identities so that they do not get harassed and face social stigma. Such is the level of secrecy that their details are not being made available even to the health staff dealing with them.
Identity codes for Covid-19 patients in Assam's Bongaigaon
People queue up outside Guwahati railway station on Tuesday (Photo: PTI)
GUWAHATI: Authorities are using codes, instead of names, for each Covid-19 patient in Assam's Bongaigaon district to conceal their identities so that they do not get harassed and face social stigma. Such is the level of secrecy that their details are not being made available even to the health staff dealing with them.
For any official communication, a particular code (BNGN) followed by the case number in numeric is being used to identify a particular patient.
For medical purposes, the afflicted person is being referred with the Sample Referral Form (SRF) number.
"It was something that came up in our routine discussion regarding maintaining privacy of Covid-19 positive patients. The decision taken for our district only since we felt that there is no need to reveal the names. Nobody needs to know who exactly is affected," Bongaigaon deputy commissioner Dr MS Lakshmi Priya told TOI on Tuesday.
She said even without revealing the names, the codes are enough to trace the travel history of coronavirus patients. "We only need to know if there is a chance of someone getting affected because of the positive patient. For that, we are giving a clear roadmap. If someone was near a positive patient, they can let us know. That's it," she added.
Taking cognizance of reports of social stigma that many patients and their families have undergone, the DC issued an order that states, "It is hereby instructed to all concerned that the name of a person with Covid-19 positive case on detection in the district shall not be revealed for any reference in view of respecting privacy of the person and in order to avoid social stigmatization."
Sources in the state health department said district authorities have the right to decide on revealing the identities of Covid-19 patients. "It's good if the names of the infected patients are not revealed. But there is no hard and fast rule to conceal their identities. Revealing the names can help sometimes to make the locals aware about the previous movement of the positive patients. It may not be necessarily aimed at stigmatizing someone," said a senior official of the state health department.

‘Patients’ names should not be revealed’
Disclosure of the names of the people under quarantine or positive cases may seem right from the community safety point of view but it may hurt the individual liberty and right to privacy of patients. There was opposition from certain minority groups when the names of infected patients linked to the Tablighi Jamaat were first revealed in the state.
“Names of the people with coronavirus infection should not be revealed because it can cause stigma. It is the sole reason why some of the states were against revealing the names of patients. In Assam, we see the government revealing the names of patients sometimes and keeping them confidential at some instances. There is a scope of partisan approach in the absence of a strict rule on maintaining the privacy of patients,” said noted lawyer Santanu Barthakur.
author
About the Author
Kangkan Kalita

Kangkan Kalita is a reporter with The Times of India and covers issues on health, education, stories of human interest while keeping a close watch on political developments and student movements. Reporting on environment and forest related issues and concerns of the northeast interest him equally.

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA