E-Paper
Covid deaths: IMA finds political support for aid to private docs
PATNA Doctors working with political parties as office bearers have backed the demand of the Bihar chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to extend the insurance cover of ₹50 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to private doctors dying of Covid-19
PATNA
Doctors working with political parties as office bearers have backed the demand of the Bihar chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to extend the insurance cover of ₹50 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to private doctors dying of Covid-19.
Dr Sunil Kumar Singh, an ophthalmologist and state president of the ruling Janata Dal (United)’s medical cell, and gastroenterologist Dr Manoj Kumar, state convener of Bihar BJP medical cell, have written separately to their respective leaders, chief minister Nitish Kumar and health minister Mangal Pandey, in support of the demand.
Dr Singh, in his letter to the chief minister, said the notification on compensation under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was not averse to paying compensation to the families of doctors who worked in their clinics and helped in screening or treatment of Covid patients as per directions of the government. He urged the CM direct the health department to treat all Covid martyrs, including those from the private sector, “as drafted for work” by the government and to recommend compensation for their families under the insurance scheme.
As per the Centre’s letter of April 26, a copy of which is with the Hindustan Times, the insurance scheme launched on March 30, 2020, was to provide comprehensive personal accident cover of ₹50 lakh to 22.12 lakh healthcare providers, including community health workers and private health workers drafted by the government for Covid-19 related responsibilities, “who may have to be in direct contact and care of Covid-19 patients and who may be at risk of being impacted by this”.
The insurance policy has been revived for 180 days, effective April 24, and will now extend up to October 20.
The IMA hopes to garner more political support.
“We will tap doctors, who are MPs or former MPs, present and past legislators across the political spectrum to push our demand for compensation to private doctors,” said Dr Ajay Kumar, senior vice-president, IMA-Bihar, currently officiating as its president.
Till Thursday, Bihar had lost 144 doctors to the pandemic. As many as 104 doctors from Bihar are among over 520 medical practitioners in India who have succumbed to the virus during the second wave of the pandemic. Forty doctors from Bihar died last year, Dr Kumar said.
Delhi (103), Bihar (96) and Uttar Pradesh (41) were among states with high Covid-related fatalities among doctors, as per figures released by the IMA on May 25.
“Of the deceased, 101 doctors are from the private sector, which includes those who resigned or superannuated from government service, while the remaining 43 were in active government service,” said Dr Kumar.
Meanwhile, the IMA-Bihar also sought the CM’s intervention to lift curbs on supply of medical oxygen among non-Covid hospitals. It regretted that oxygen supply was restricted only among 90-odd private health facilities, allowed by the government to treat Covid-19 patients in Patna. It also requested the CM to allow more health facilities, having the requisite infrastructure, to treat Covid-19 patients. This, it said, would ease the burden on existing facilities and help patients.
