Mangalore: “The health of sanitation workers who keep cities clean and protect public health must also be maintained. A comprehensive health insurance policy has been designed for pourakarmikas. By utilising the health insurance card implemented by the govt, sanitation workers should safeguard their health,” said Murali Ashok Salappa, chairman of the Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Development Corporation (KSSKDC).He spoke on Thursday at the Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in the city during a programme jointly organised by the KSSKDC and the MCC. The event aimed at health check-ups and awareness for direct-payment sanitation workers, and the distribution of health insurance cards.“Sanitation workers face numerous health issues due to their work in cleanliness. To prevent them from incurring high hospital expenses when they fall ill, the govt has introduced a cashless health insurance scheme, which all sanitation workers should utilise. Under this scheme, sanitation workers can receive cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh at any hospital,” he said. He urged sanitation workers to use necessary safety equipment and avail themselves of free health check-ups and treatment facilities.MCC commissioner Ravichandra Naik said that if the health of sanitation workers deteriorates, the cleanliness of the city will be affected. “Working in unsafe environments exacerbates health issues. Therefore, sanitation workers should avoid bad habits and maintain their personal health,” he advised. “The card provided to sanitation workers, when scanned, will reveal all related information. Such insurance schemes are offered by various corporates to their employees, and now sanitation workers can also benefit from this health insurance scheme,” he added.On this occasion, health insurance cards were distributed to direct-payment sanitation workers. The event was attended by T Kumar, managing director of the corporation, among others.
