Government approves Insurance Scheme for health workers combating COVID-19 

The Union Government on March 29, 2020 approved an insurance scheme for health workers who are working hard to treat COVID-19 patients and save lives.  

The scheme was announced under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26. 

The ‘Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ has been approved under the following conditions:

• The scheme will provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to 90 days to around 22.12 lakh public healthcare workers including community health workers who may have to come in direct contact with COVID-19 patients and take care of them. These workers are at high risk of being impacted by the virus. This also includes accidental loss of life after contracting coronavirus.

• In case of an unprecedented sitiation, the private hospital staff, retired, daily wage, contract, local urban bodies, vollunteer, ad-hoc and outsourced staff requisitioned by the central, state and autonomous hospitals of the centre, state and UTs can be drafted for COVID-19 responsibilities. 

• The insurance cover provided under the scheme will be over and above any other insurance cover being availed by the beneficiaries.