Govt paid compensation worth Rs 808 cr to 1,616 healthcare workers' families who died of COVID-19

New Delhi: The Centre has paid a compensation of Rs 808 crore to families of 1,616 deceased healthcare workers from 33 states and UTs, who were involved in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19 was launched on March 30, 2020, to provide comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 Lakh to 22.12 lakh health care providers including community health workers and private health workers who may have been in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by this.

Also Read:Delhi: Nurses protest over pending COVID compensation, threaten indefinite strike

"201 compensation claims amounting to Rs 100.5 crore had been paid in Maharashtra, 160 claims amounting to Rs 80 crore were paid in Andhra Pradesh and 134 claims amounting to Rs 67 crore were paid to Uttar Pradesh," said Mandaviya.

Responding to a question by Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, Mandaviya said though states were to keep disaggregated records, only a handful shared such records with the Centre when asked.

The Union Minister said that only six out of 36 states and union territories maintain separate records of health workers who died due to COVID-19 in the last two years.

These states are Maharashtra and Gujarat, along with Sikkim, Chandigarh, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.

"COVID-19 has so far claimed the lives of 67 doctors, 19 nurses in Maharashtra. 20 doctors, 20 nurses, 6 ambulance drivers, and 128 paramedics have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in Gujarat," he said.

"Health is a State subject. The government of India has maintained data of total cases and deaths as reported by States/UTs on a regular basis. Disaggregated data by profession is required to be maintained by the States. Accordingly, Union Government has requested States/UTs to furnish the requisite details. In response, details from a few States/UTs have been received and are submitted," he said.

The Health Minister said that private hospital staff/retired/ volunteer/local urban bodies/contract/daily wage/ad-hoc/outsourced staff requisitioned by states/central hospitals/autonomous hospitals of central/states/UTs, AIIMS and Institute of National Importance (INI)/hospitals of Central Ministries specifically drafted for the care of COVID-19 patients are also covered under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP).

He further said that the PMGKP Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19 was extended from time to time and was last extended was for a period of 180 days with effect from October 20, 2021.

Also Read:SC pulls Maharashtra, Kerala, Rajasthan on abysmal disbursal rate of COVID compensation