₹50-lakh Covid insurance cover for all health workers in city

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh health department on Thursday ordered to bring all its healthcare workers involved in patient care under the ambit of the insurance scheme for healthcare workers on Covid-19 pandemic duty.

The Union ministry of health and family welfare on March 29 had announced the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19.

This package provides an insurance cover of ₹50 lakh to around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who come in direct contact with Covid-19 patients.

The ministry said the insurance will also include accidental loss of life (on account of contracting Covid) and will be valid over and above any existing insurance scheme.

Director health services Chandigarh Dr G Dewan, on Thursday, ordered that on account of the current situation, all hospital staff of group A, B, C and D, employed on regular, contractual, daily wage, ad hoc and outsourced basis will be covered under the scheme. “All those working in Government Multispecialty Hospital in Sector 16, and civil hospitals and dispensaries, including department of Ayush, National Health Mission, office of the assistant director of malaria, as well as food and drug administration, and involved in patient care services are covered under the scheme. It is applicable for 90 days from March 29,” Dr G Dewan said.