BENGALURU: The state government has rejected the applications for compensation from the families of 14 doctors who died due to COVID-19. The government has stated that the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojna is meant for only those doctors who are involved in the treatment of COVID patients in government settings.

These 14 doctors were involved in treating the patients at private hospitals. The decision has been condemned by the private hospitals association and the Indian Medical Association. They have stated that the government is discriminating against the COVID martyrs working in the private sector.

Answering a question in the state legislative assembly, health minister K Sudhakar mentioned that the state had received 45 applications from April 1, 2020, and compensation has been given to the families of 21 doctors who succumbed to the disease. While 8 applications are pending, 16 were withdrawn.

The 16 withdrawn applications include the ones from the families of two doctors who worked in the department of health and family welfare. One of the doctors suffered from cardiac issues while the other doctor died because of brain hemorrhage, stated the minister.

Health department officials said that both the doctors died while on COVID duty, stating that it was unfortunate that the state has withdrawn their applications. President of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, Dr HM Prasanna, said that this is injustice to the medical fraternity, adding that they will protest against it.  

Past-President, IMA-Karnataka chapter, Dr Madhusudhan Kariganoor, also condemned the move, stating that the government had asked private doctors to keep the clinics open in early 2020, and had promised that they will take care of the insurance. He added that differentiating now, based on the doctors’ service in government and private sectors, is wrong.

Source: The Times of India