The government has stretched the Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme for about 22 lakh healthcare providers for added three months till September amidst the growing number of COVID-19 cases.

The scheme effected by New India Assurance was scheduled to end on 30th June, according to the announcement that was made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman which was a as part of the Rs 1.70 lakh Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan package in March this year.

The insurance offers a comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to approximately 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers. This includes community health workers, who might be in direct contact and taking care of coronavirus patients and are at risk of being infected too.

An official statement said that insurance scheme for healthcare workers in government hospitals and healthcare centers are operationalized with effect from March 30, 2020, and has been extended up to September 2020.

The insurance scheme is funded by the National Disaster Response Fund, which is operated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Doctors, nurses, paramedical workers, sanitation workers and other healthcare staff under the central and state governments will be covered in this insurance scheme.

Nirmala Sitharaman said that any health professional treating COVID-19 patients, meet with any accident, then he or she will be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh as per the scheme. All government health centres, hospitals of the Centre and wellness centres along with states are covered under this insurance scheme.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare clarified later in a FAQ that private hospital staff and workers treating COVID-19 patients would also be covered.

The FAQ said that private workers engaged in both public & private health care institutions/organization through an agency and deployed for care and might have come in direct contact with the COVID-19 patient (with the proof of the service of the institution/organization) are also covered by the scheme.

Source: ET Healthworld