The Union Health Ministry announced on Monday that the insurance scheme for healthcare workers will be in effect for a year starting March 20. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), the scheme was to provide a safety net to families of health workers in case of any adversity due to COVID-19. However, the scheme was to end on April 24, after which healthcare workers would have been left without the insurance.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday posted a picture of a letter the Union government wrote to insurance company New India Assurance requesting the company to accept the scheme with immediate effect and that the funds would be released soon.
“I’m glad to announce that this scheme has now been extended for a period of one year with effect from today,” he wrote.
The government had earlier said that all claims of ‘COVID warriors’ under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package will be settled till April 24 after which a fresh insurance policy for them will become effective.
In a tweet, the ministry said that a new dispensation will be provided to cover the "corona warriors".
"Two hundred and eight seven claims have been paid by the insurance company so far. The scheme has played a crucial psychological role in boosting the morale of the health workers fighting COVID-19," the ministry had said in a statement earlier.
The PMGKP was announced in March last year, and was extended thrice till April 24. Insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh is provided under the PMKGP scheme. This was to provide a safety net to the dependents of the coronavirus warriors who lost their lives to the disease.
On April 19, the Indian Medical Association wrote to the Health Ministry and said out of 756 doctors who have lost their lives, only 168 workers have received compensation and only 268 workers have received compensation in total.
With PTI inputs