Civic staff yet to be reimbursed for treatment

Greater Chennai Corporation employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 have not been able get reimbursement of bills in private hospitals.

Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash on Friday said 315 civic workers, who had participated in pandemic containment in the city, have tested positive for SARS CoV-2.

At least 50,000 employees from various departments have been deployed in the city for containment work. Most of them are working in 7,500 localities, where positive cases have been reported. The civic workers, who were admitted to private hospitals, have not been able to pay bills for want of clarity among civic officials. The workers said they were discouraged from visiting private hospitals.

Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash said the workers were eligible for Chief Minister’s Insurance Scheme for government employees in private hospitals. “But many workers are admitted to government hospitals. We will study the issues reported in private hospitals,” he said.

Senior officials said the workers were eligible for ₹2 lakh insurance for four years, which was insufficient for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals. The civic workers demanded better treatment for those who opt for private hospitals. “The government should study all aspects and facilitate the best treatment during this pandemic. They should not force us to get treatment in government hospitals,” said a Corporation employee.