COVID-19 healthcare workers left with no insurance cover; Rs. 50 lakh insurance is over

Amid the raging second wave of the Corona Virus in India, the Centre concluded the Rs. 50 lakh insurance scheme for the healthcare workers who die on COVID-19 duty. Since the Rs. 50 lakh insurance scheme expires on April 24, the Health Ministry said that the government is in talks with an insurance company to come up with a new dispensation.

According to the Ministry of Health, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package insurance policy claims of healthcare workers will continue to be settled till April 24, “thereafter a fresh insurance policy for COVID Warriors will become effective”.

In March, 2021, the Union Health Secretary had informed the states about the conclusion of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, an insurance scheme for healthcare workers who die in the line of COVID-19 duty. The scheme was launched to provide a safety net for healthcare workers so as to ensure that in case of any adversity due to the Corona Virus pandemic, their families are taken care of. However, a circular sent out by the Health Ministry last month said that the insurance scheme concluded on March 24, 2021 while only 287 claims have been processed so far.

The letter stated, “The PMGKP insurance scheme for the healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 was implemented with effect from 30 March, 2020, initially for a period of 90 days to provide an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh to the healthcare workers fighting the pandemic, the duration of the scheme was extended up to 24 March, 2021.”