Karnataka: Covid doctors seek Rs 1 crore cover

Bengaluru: Over 67 doctors in Karnataka lost their lives due to Covid-19 contracted while treating corona infected patients. Unable to tackle the acute pressure that the pandemic has unleashed upon the doctors, private medical institutions say that they expect the government to support them in overcoming the turbulent situation. "Doctors don't have any expectations from the government, they just want a safe and conducive work environment. The government should support the private healthcare providers and together we can overcome the pandemic. There have been situations across the country wherein doctors had to fight the Covid-19 and the administration to make things work," said Dr Jagadish Hiremath, CEO, Ace Suhas Hospital.

He opined that the doctors should also be treated as martyrs as they are the frontline warriors in the war against Covid-19 and every doctor and health care professional should get insurance cover of at least Rs 1 crore so that in case of contingency the family is taken care of and is provided.

"Nearly 550 doctors and scores of others have lost their lives fighting Covid-19 and the fatality among doctors who turn positive is more than 36% which is 22 times the CFR of non-doctor population. This is because of huge viral load and also continuous work-related stress without any break which is adding to these abysmal outcomes in doctors. We want the government to recognise this contribution of doctors and also try to re-activate the Rs 50 lakh Covid-19 insurance which was promised but not brought to reality," Hiremath told The Hans India.