The Indian Medical Association (IMA), a national voluntary organisation of doctors, on Wednesday expressed shock over the underreporting of data by the Centre on the total number of doctors who have succumbed to the coronavirus infection. On Tuesday, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey had said that coronavirus has so far claimed the lives of 162 doctors, 107 nurses and 44 ASHA workers in the country.
In a letter to Choubey, IMA President JA Jayalal wrote that the Centre's data is contrary to the one released by the association which contained the names of 744 doctors.
He further stated that even though doctors suffer a higher viral load and a higher Case Fatality Ratio as a community, they still chose to serve the nation in the best traditions of the medical profession.
Besides condemning the apathy of the government of India in verifying the data, the issue of delay in disbursing the solatium for the Covid-19 victims' families was also raised.
IMA has made some requests to the government, first is to expedite the process of giving solatium to families at the earliest possible time. Secondly, constitution of a high-powered committee for a thorough study on the entire data of deceased doctors and for all those who had succumbed to be honoured.
On Tuesday, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey presented the data on doctors’ deaths in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question on the number of healthcare staff, including doctors, nurses and ASHA workers who have been affected died due to COVID-19.
On whether the data presented by the Indian Medical Association regarding the number of healthcare workers who have died due to COVID-19 has been taken note of by the Ministry and any follow up verification of the same done, Choubey said the process of insurance disbursement has been de-centralized under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP: Insurance Scheme).
Accordingly, the verification of a person affected and died to COVID-19 vests with state governments/Central government authorities concerned. The necessary certification for claims is done by healthcare Institution, organization or office where the deceased was an employee of/engaged by the institution.
They submit the documents to the competent authority for state and UT, or the competent authority for Central Government, Central Autonomous /PSU hospitals, AIIMS, INIs and hospitals of other central ministries, as the case may be.
The competent authorities then forward and submit claim to the insurance company.