Bengaluru doctor who pushed for newborn insurance to be awarded by IMA

Neonatologist Dr Prashanth Urs will be awarded the Dr BC Roy Doctors Day Award by IMA, Bangalore branch, for his work on the introduction of newborn insurance.

"Babies were earlier not covered by insurance till the age of 90 days. So, many parents would stop the treatment of babies admitted to ICU as they were unable to bear the costs," says Dr Urs.

As a member of the National Neonatology Forum, he wrote to the chief minister's office, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), among others, saying that newborns should get coverage as they become citizens by birth.

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IRDAI redefined the newborn period for insurance from 2016, and around seven insurance companies now cover this category. This February, IRDAI also issued a circular asking more companies to cover babies from day one of birth, along with covering congenital abnormalities.

Along with Dr Urs, five other Bengaluru doctors are being awarded by IMA, selected from a pool of 28 nominees.

They include Prof N S Nagesh, founder director of the Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences & Organ Transplant; Dr Naveen S, Principal of Raja Rajeshwari Medical College; family physician Dr Anuradha Paramesh; surgeon Dr K Ramadev; and obstetrician Dr K Srinivas.