Guwahati, June 22 -- Cardiac arrests and brain strokes are killing more people than ever in Assam, with deaths rising sharply in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data unearthed through an RTI filed by Dhekiajuli-based activist Dilip Nath.

The RTI response reveals that from 2018 to May 2024, 3,195 people died from cardiac-related conditions and high blood pressure at just three government hospitals - Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh, Tezpur Medical College Hospital (TMCH), and Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). This troubling trend shows a marked rise in deaths since 2022, prompting public health concerns and speculation about underlying causes.

At AMCH, cardiac arrest deaths increased from ...