Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, during a Rajya Sabha session on Tuesday, informed that so far COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 162 doctors, 107 nurses and 44 ASHA workers in the country as of January 22, 2021.

Upon being asked whether the data by the Indian Medical Association regarding the number of healthcare workers who have died due to COVID-19 has been taken note of by the Ministry and any follow up verification of the same done, Choubey said the process of insurance disbursement has been de-centralized under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (Insurance scheme)

Accordingly, the verification of a person affected and died to COVID-19 vests with state governments/Central government authorities concerned. The necessary certification for claims is done by healthcare Institution, organization or office where the person was worked/engaged by the institution.

Later, the documents are submitted to the competent authority for state and UT, or the authority for Central Government, Central Autonomous /PSU hospitals, AIIMS, INIs and hospitals of other central ministries.

The competent authorities then forward and submit claim to the insurance company.