Ranchi: As state health minister claimed that the government was committed to bringing a smile to each and every doctor’s face, the department seems to be not taking his words seriously as the kin of those healthcare workers, who lost their lives serving patients of Covid-19, await their compensation for around two years.
According to state health department records, a mere 13 families have received the payment out of total 40 applications. The healthcare workers engaged in Covid-19 management were covered by the central government through an insurance scheme — Pradhanmantri Garib Kalyan Package.
TOI spoke to the family members of those who have lost their lives in line of duty and they said even after they lost one of their family members, the state has completely failed in its efforts to compensate them. Many claimants said they had to run from pillar to post just to get their application forms submitted and now they have been waiting for compensation for more than a year.
Talking to TOI, Deeksha Jha, wife of late Dr Shekhar Dutt Jha, said, “My husband succumbed to the virus on August 24, 2020. I had to run from one office to another as initially my application was not getting accepted by authorities. It was accepted only after a minister’s intervention. Even after that I am yet to receive the compensation.”
Son of an ANM who did not wish to be named said he has been told that his application is in process for over a year now. “My mother was attached with a state-run medical college and passed away during her treatment after getting infected on duty,” he said.
Additional chief secretary Arun Kumar Singh in his address at Doctors’ Day programme said their department is settling all the claims it has received.
Nodal officer of claim settlement authority at state National Health Mission (NHM), Dr CP Chaudhary, said, “I have recently joined as the claim settlement office and I am yet to review the files. I will make sure beneficiaries do not face any inconvenience.”
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