What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Families of more than 76 per cent of the doctors who caught and succumbed to Covid-19 on duty are yet to get compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, as per an RTI reply.
According to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest body of medical practitioners, more than 1800 doctors contracted the disease on duty and later died. Of this number, families of only 428 healthcare workers have received financial compensation, the Central government admitted in response to a query under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
According to the RTI response, families of 1988 doctors are eligible to get compensation under the PMGKP.
“Grateful to our Prime Minister for the gratitude to HCWs. But, when the huge majority of the practising docs, who died of Covid, are not beneficiaries Pradhan Manthri Garib Kallyan Package (PMPKG), there is a need for urgent intervention from the Prime Minister,” tweeted Dr KV Babu, a Kannur-based medical practitioner who filed the RTI query.
Most of the doctors whose families have received compensation belong to Kerala and Delhi, officials of the IMA.
Speaking to The New Indian, Dr Rohan Krishnan, president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, said: “It is the responsibility of the government to honour the commitment given to the Covid warriors. Working during the pandemic was very challenging for us. The doctors who have lost their lives had made a heroic sacrifice for the nation.”
“We should honour them in the greatest possible manner because future generations of doctors will get a moral boost if recognised. I believe that the government of India should not harass the family members of these doctors by delaying the payments. I request the PM to ensure the immediate release of the payments,” he demanded.
Dr Manish Jangra, chief advisor of FAIMA said: “Doctors did not care about themselves and discharged their duties when the Covid pandemic was at its peak in India. And their contribution was praised by our prime minister. But now families of those doctors are suffering. Some of them were the sole breadwinner of their family.”
