Kerala announces assistance to children orphaned by Covid-19

The Kerala government has decided to give financial assistance to children orphaned after parents of guardians died due to Covid.

A fixed deposit of Rs 3 lakh and monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 till the age of 18 would be given to children orphaned by Covid. So far 87 children were identified for the scheme and Rs 3.2 crore allotted, health minister Veena George said in a statement.

Children who lost both father and mother or lone guardians would be given assistance under the scheme. But children who lost only either father or mother will not get assistance under the scheme.

Meanwhile, the state government's decision to impose charge for post-Covid treatment is inviting criticism.

The state health department issued an order the other day fixing a charge starting from Rs 750 per day in wards to Rs 2,000 for ICU with ventilator for those in the above poverty line category for post-Covid treatment. Those developing discomforts requiring hospitalisation with in three weeks of testing negative will be considered as post Covid patients. Rates for private hospitals for post-Covid treatments were also fixed by the government.

Covid treatment is being offered free of cost at hospitals. But the increasing number of patients with post-Covid ailments was learnt to have forced the government to fix the rates.