Insurance Scheme for Covid-19 Health Workers Extended by 180 Days
Ketki Jadhav
Apr 21, 2022
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The 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), an insurance scheme for Health Care Workers Fighting Covid-19' has been extended by the union government for a further period of 180 days from April 19, 2022. The policy is extended so as to continue to provide the safety net to the dependents of the health workers who are deputed to take care of the Covid-19 patients.
A letter dated April 19, 2022, to this effect, has been issued to the Additional Chief Secretaries (Health)/Principal Secretaries (Health)/Secretaries (Health) of all States for giving wide publicity amongst the health workers in their respective States/UTs.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package/Yojana was launched in March 2020. The scheme is a comprehensive relief package of Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore for the poor segment of the country to help them fight the battle against Covid-19. It aimed at reaching out to the poorest of the poor with food and money in hand so that they do not face difficulties in meeting essential needs and buying essential supplies. The package includes personal accident cover of Rs 50 Lakhs per health worker fighting Covid-19. The cover is offered to 22.12 Lakhs health care providers, including community health workers and private health workers who have been in direct contact with and care of Covid-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by this.
Here's what the PMGKP accidental insurance scheme covers:
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It is necessary to know that any type of expenses related to the treatment or quarantine is not covered under the scheme.
Further, on account of the unprecedented situation, here is a complete list of who is covered under the package:
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Community health workers
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Private hospital staff
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Retired staff, volunteers, local urban bodies
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Contract staff, daily wage staff, ad-hoc staff, outsourced staff requisitioned by states hospitals, central hospitals, autonomous hospitals of central and states
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All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) & Institute of National Importance (INI)/hospitals of Central Ministries specifically drafted for the care of COVID-19 patients
Realising the criticality of Human Resources in the health sector, the Ministry of Health has been taking several necessary steps to improve the safety and well-being of the healthcare staff. Processing of claims has been streamlined and simplified from May 2021 by circulating a pro forma certificate in which the district collectors concerned are to certify the eligibility of the claims. Claims are now being verified and certified by the district collectors and forwarded to the respective insurance company for the release of payments to the claimants so as to accelerate the claim settlement process.
Since the launch of the package, so far, 1905 claims of Health workers who died while being deployed for Covid-related duties have been settled.
The Covid-19 cases are rising in India, especially in the last two weeks. With the rising cases in Delhi, Haryana, UP, and Mizoram, Health Ministry has sent letters to these states cautioning against the increasing cases. Haryana has seen a 40% rise in the weekly cases of Covid-19 on April 12, 2022. Furthermore, the masks and fines have made their entry back to Delhi and some other parts of India.
Considering the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic is still not ended and there are reports of the cases of deaths of health workers deployed for Covid-19, the extension of the PMGKP is a relief to the health workers and their families.
Warm Regards,
Ketki Jadhav
Content Writer