By Dr. Arun Mitra
It is to utter to dismay that only about 23.8 % families of the doctors who lost their life fighting COVID-19 have received the insurance amount announced by the Prime Minister under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP). This is as per the information received by Dr Babu K V, an Ophthalmologist from Kannur, Kerala on 26th September 2022 from The New India Assurance Company Ltd. in reply to an RTI filed by him. As per this reply total number of beneficiaries under PMGKP, who died of COVID during 30th March 2020 to 30th September 2022 is 1988 and amount for them comes to be Rs.994 crore. Only 428 beneficiaries have got the benefit so far which amounts to 214 crore rupees.
According to Dr Jayesh Lele, the Hony. Secretary General of Indian Medical Association, more than 1800 doctors succumbed to Covid 19. During the first wave 757 and during the second wave 839 lost their lives. Rest 204 died later. While all 29 COVID martyr doctors of Kerala are compensated, just 27 out of 150 Delhi doctors have been compensated.
In another case a notice was issued on 31st March 2020 by the Commissioner of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to Dr Bhaskar Surgade to keep his dispensary open for the treatment of patients suffering from COVID-19 during the period of the lock down. Unfortunately he succumbed to COVID on 10th June 2020. Kiran Bhaskar Surgade, the spouse of Dr Bhaskar Surgade filed a petition before the High Court of Bombay for compensation.
The High Court however rejected the Petition for compensation to the family of Dr Surgade on ground that the services of Dr Surgade were not requisitioned for COVID-19 duties and that the notice that was issued on 31st March 2020 cannot be construed as a notice requisitioning his services for the specific purpose of treating COVID-19 patients and the notice did not mandate that the dispensary was required to be kept open for Covid-19 patients. The issue now has been listed in the Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court of India.
As per the Apex Court, Prima facie the object of the Scheme is to provide a measure of social security to the health professionals because of the exposure to the COVID-19 virus which they are liable to suffer in the course of the discharge of their medical duties both in public and private institutions. The Apex court also observed that the matter raises an issue of nation-wide concern.
The whole issue has raised a serious question as to whether only those doctors and other healthcare workers of a specially requisitioned institution for the purpose of giving services to the COVID-19 effected patients are liable to the compensation, or any healthcare worker who dedicated her/his life during the extreme health crises deserves to receive insurance compensation. Under any health emergency it is the duty of the medical personnel to discharge their duty with dedication to the society. We have seen that most of the healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, ASHA workers, Aanganwadi workers from both public and private sector were in the fore front to prevent the disease through public education and active treatment. This they did even at the cost of verbal or physical humiliation at some places.
In case of an unfortunate mishap the family comes to cross roads. There are many instances where the deceased person was the sole bread earner. It is therefore important that all such health workers whether requisitioned for the special purpose or not should be given insurance benefit without delay because they laid down their life serving the sick. Thousands of workers who were hired for short term during the COVID are now out on lurch. They need to be looked after. ASHA workers and Aanganwadi workers should be at least given recognition as regular workers.
India is already hub to several communicable as well non communicable diseases. The government owes responsibility to care for the affected. In fact the disease spread very fast forcing lakhs of people to migrate because there were no jobs or means of livelihood left. . Firstly the lockdown was imposed without any notice and then the government did not pay heed to the demand for compensation to the poor families. Trade unions demand to pay Rs.7500/- to each family of the workers went completely ignored. At a later stage only 5 Kg of grain and one Kg. Daal was offered as help. This is in contrast to many governments around the world who paid special allowances to the people during the COVID-19 because the jobs and means of livelihood were affected.
Indian state should wake up and develop a sympathetic attitude towards the COVID warriors. Gimmicks like showering of flowers or words of praise do not mean anything if there is no practical help. All the families who lost their members need to be looked after with due compensation and support. (IPA Service)
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