The Centre has declined to provide updated data on compensation paid to families of doctors who died during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent RTI reply. While the government revealed in November 2023 that 475 families of deceased doctors had received compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), it now states that such information is “not available in material form.” The Indian Medical Association (IMA), however, reports that over 1,596 doctors died during the pandemic, a number supported by detailed lists submitted to the health ministry.
RTI activist Dr. K.V. Babu had sought specifics on compensation disbursed under the PMGKP scheme, including the total number of beneficiaries and state-wise data for Delhi and Kerala. The scheme, launched in March 2020, offers ?50 lakh insurance coverage for healthcare workers at risk of Covid-19 infection. In its reply, the Health Ministry confirmed settling 2,294 claims but did not provide additional information on doctors’ families, repeatedly citing the unavailability of data under Section 7(9) of the RTI Act.
Dr. Babu criticized the government’s response, arguing that a significant number of deceased doctors’ families remain uncompensated despite their sacrifices. He expressed disappointment over the lack of data transparency and noted that the Supreme Court has yet to address a pending Special Leave Petition concerning the issue. The IMA’s records highlight the gap between the acknowledged deaths and the limited compensations disbursed under the scheme.