Ex gratia extended to private healthcare staff in Telangana

As per IMA Telangana chapter, nine doctors and about 10-14 healthcare staff from private sector have died while as a result of discharging duties.
Representational image (File Photo| Rakesh Kumar, EPS)
Representational image (File Photo| Rakesh Kumar, EPS)

HYDERABAD: The office of Director of Public Health (DPH) issued a letter to all the District Medical and Health Officers (DMHO) that the Centre’s ex gratia scheme for healthcare workers who died of Covid-19 was applicable to staff from the private sector as well.

The insurance scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) awards a sum of `50 lakh as compensation to any healthcare worker who dies either by contracting Covid-19, or dies in the process of rendering their duties.

The letter dated September 8 states that any request from private healthcare workers must be submitted and certified by the respective DM&HO office of the concerned district, and then be taken up by the DPH office. Until now, two government nurses have received the ex gratia from the government. As per government records, in NIMS, at least 14 government healthcare workers have passed away. As per IMA Telangana chapter, nine doctors and about 10-14 healthcare staff from private sector have died while as a result of discharging duties.

Dr Sanjeev Singh Yadav, General Secretary of IMA, Telangana, said, “The government must issue the order in form of a GO, which would also give free treatment to private hospital doctors. Orally, they state that one could go to NIMS, but in reality, most doctors are going to private hospitals wherein in a few cases, a discount of 10-15 per cent is being given. An order to enforce this must be given to avoid issues for private healthcare workers. Furthermore, just as the Delhi CM has done, an ex gratia of `1 crore must be given to deceased healthcare workers.”

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