NEW DELHI: Only 29 per cent of families of doctors who succumbed to COVID-19 during the first and second waves have been compensated by the government so far.
Though the government has said that they don’t have the data on the total number of doctors who died during the pandemic, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) puts the number of doctor’s casualties to over 1,500.
As per the RTI, the government has paid compensation to 475 families of doctors so far.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), the government had announced insurance coverage of Rs. 50 lakh to healthcare providers, including community and private health workers, at risk of Covid-19 infection.
In an RTI filed on October 23, Kannur-based ophthalmologist K V Babu sought information on the total number of beneficiaries who have received compensation under the scheme since its launch on March 30, 2020.
Babu, who has been pursuing the matter since last year, asked for the number of doctors – who were earlier feted and called Covid warriors during the pandemic -were compensated.
He also asked for the total number of health workers who were awarded the compensation and also state-wise data on doctors and health workers who died during the pandemic.
Babu said as per the November 21 RTI reply, 2,244 families have been paid compensation amounting to Rs. 1122 crore till October 23.
As per the RTI, a compensation of Rs. 237.5 crores has been given to 475 families of doctors, while 1,769 families of health workers have been paid a compensation of Rs. 884.5 crores.
The RTI activist said of the total compensation made to healthcare professionals, the percentage of doctors who have received the compensation is just 21.16 per cent.
Babu told this paper that as per the data compiled by IMA, which has been raising the matter with the Union Health Ministry, a total of 1,596 doctors – 757 in the first wave and 839 in the second wave –lost their lives.
“The IMA has prepared a state-wise list of doctors who died during the two Covid-19 waves. According to their data, 1,596 doctors laid down their lives. If we keep that data in mind - in the absence of government data - the centre has paid compensation to just 29.1 per cent of doctors’ families. This means only 475 families have been compensated so far.”
During the pandemic, all the practising doctors were at risk of COVID-19 infection, whether general practitioners, specialists, or those working in Covid-19 designated hospitals, he said.
Babu said that many doctors – who died during the pandemic – were those who opened their clinics under compulsion since many state governments enforced the Epidemic Act, which enforced that clinics and other medical establishments will remain open.
“It's clear from the RTI data that the government has not compensated most Covid martyr doctors' dependents. Unfortunately, the government of India is not willing to recognise the services rendered by the medical professionals who served the nation, which was going through an unprecedented health crisis.
“I earnestly request the PMO to intervene and respect the martyrdom of our fellow doctors,” he added.
Interestingly, the Union Health Ministry had told the parliament in July last year that there is no “disaggregated data on deaths due to Covid-19 by profession or otherwise” that is “maintained centrally.”
It was the IMA, which represents over 3.5 lakh doctors, that prepared a detailed state-wise list of doctors who died while performing their duties during the pandemic.
Of the 757 doctors who died during the first wave, as many as 90 were from Tamil Nadu. It was followed by West Bengal at 80.
It was followed by Maharashtra (74), Andhra Pradesh (70), Karnataka (68), Uttar Pradesh (66), Gujarat (62) and Bihar (40).
In the second wave, the maximum deaths were reported from Delhi. Of the 839 doctors’ deaths, 128 were from Delhi alone. It was followed by Bihar (115), Uttar Pradesh (79), West Bengal (65) and Tamil Nadu (64), Andhra Pradesh (48), Odisha (46), Telangana (43) and Gujarat and Jharkhand reported 30 deaths each.
The Supreme Court is hearing the matter on December 13 after a special leave petition was filed raising the issue of non-disbursal of assured government medical cover to healthcare professionals who served the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic and died.
