Bring dengue, malaria, swine flu under welfare scheme: cops

A civic employee carries out a fogging exercise to fight the mosquito menace—Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

The Maharashtra Police have sent a proposal to the State Home Department that seeks to bring dengue, malaria and swine flu under the ambit of the Maharashtra Police Kutumb Arogya Yojana (MPKAY) so that police personnel and their dependants afflicted with these diseases can avail of insurance.

According to senior officers with the Maharashtra Police, the decision was taken in light of the rise in the number of cases of these diseases over the last few years, which have also affected the police department. Also, the treatment of these diseases is both prolonged and expensive.

Officials said the matter was discussed at a recent meeting of the Police Welfare Committee, which is headed by Maharashtra Director General of Police Praveen Dixit, on March 10 this year. During this meeting, some officers brought up the issue of the increasing number of police personnel suffering from the three diseases. The meeting explored ways to help personnel in getting treatment.

After much discussions, it was decided to seek the state government’s nod to insure policemen and their dependants against the three illnesses.

“We have sent a proposal to the Home Department seeking that dengue, malaria and swine flu be included in the list of diseases and medical emergencies covered by the MPKAY. Many of our personnel have fallen prey to these diseases over the last few years, and all three require prolonged treatment which is not affordable for everyone,” said VV Lakshminarayan, Additional Director General of Police (Administration), Maharashtra.

Mr Lakshminarayan added that if the proposal is approved, all state policemen and their dependants will be insured against dengue, malaria and swine flu, and the expense of treatment will be borne by the government.

Currently, the MPKAY, which was launched in 2005, covers 27 medical emergencies including accidents and heart disease and five chronic illnesses including tuberculosis for personnel and up to seven dependants under the Maharashtra State Medical Service Rules.

The police department has tied up with 171 hospitals across the state where personnel can get treatment for diseases and emergencies covered under the scheme.

Dengue, malaria and swine flu have, over the last few years, become a matter of increasing concern, with 441 cases of dengue and 14,209 cases of malaria, including five fatal ones, and a whopping 8,583 cases of swine flu resulting in 905 deaths being reported in the state in 2015.