Insurance scheme for COVID-19 health workers gets 180-day extension

A health worker in personal protective equipment (PPE) takes a break while waiting for people to collect samples to conduct tests for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), amid the spread of the disease, in New Delhi, India July 10, 2020. (Image Source: REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui)

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), or the insurance scheme for healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, has been extended for 180 days more from April 19.

The six-month extension is planned to “continue to provide the safety net to the dependents of health workers who are deputed to take care of COVID-19 patients”, said a statement from the Ministry of Health and  Family Welfare.

PMGKP was launched on March 30, 2020 to provide a comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to the 22.12 lakh healthcare providers in India. These include community and private healthcare workers who may have been in direct contact with COVID-19 patients and their care, and may be at risk of being impacted by this.

Also covered under PMGKP are private hospital staff, those retired, retired volunteers, local urban bodies, contract or  daily wage earners, ad-hoc or outsourced staff requisitioned by states or central hospitals, autonomous hospitals of central or states or UTs, AIIMS, and Institute of National Importance (INI), hospitals of central ministries specifically drafted for COVID-19 patients due to the unprecedented situation.

Since the launch of the scheme, 1,905 claims of health workers who died while being deployed in COVID-19-related duties have been settled.