Jammu & Kashmir Government like other States/UT’s is fighting COVID-19 pandemic with grit and determination. And health workers are at the forefront of this fight. So far seven of the health workers, while on duty, contracted the virus and lost their precious life while fighting against this dreaded virus. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package provides an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh to a total of around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers across the country, including community health workers, 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. It also includes accidental loss of life on account of contracting COVID-19. On account of the unprecedented situation, private hospital staff/ retired/volunteer/ local urban bodies/contract/daily wage/ ad-hoc/outsourced staff requisitioned by States/ Central hospitals/autonomous hospitals of Central/States/UTs, AIIMS & INIs/ hospitals of Central Ministries can also be drafted for COVID-19 related responsibilities. These cases will also be covered subject to numbers indicated by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The insurance provided under this scheme would be over and above any other insurance cover being availed of by the beneficiary. Mission Director National Health Mission, J&K, Bhupinder Kumar said that claims of the doctor from Pulwama, doctor from Bandipora & that of a health worker from Baramulla, have so far been settled and payment has been made to the affected families. He further added that rest of the claims are under submission and shall be settled soon. He lauded the efforts of the COVID-19 Warriors and further said that all the public healthcare providers of Jammu & Kashmir, including community health workers, 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 are covered under the scheme.
