Govt approves Insurance Scheme for health workers fighting to contain COVID-19

Government has approved Insurance Scheme announced under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for health workers who are fighting to contain COVID-19. The scheme will provide an insurance cover of 50 lakh rupees for ninety days to around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers.

They include community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and who may be at risk of being impacted by this.  The scheme will also include accidental loss of life on account of contracting COVID-19. The Health Ministry has said, the insurance provided under this



scheme will be over and above any other insurance cover being availed by the beneficiary.

It said, on account of the unprecedented situation, private hospital staff, retired, volunteer, local urban bodies, contract, daily wage,  ad-hoc and outsourced staff requisitioned by States and  Central hospitals, autonomous hospitals of Central, States, AIIMS and hospitals of Central Ministries can also be drafted for  COVID-19 related responsibilities. These cases will also be covered subject to numbers indicated by the Health Ministry.