Digital Health (DH) on Tuesday launched a new insurance policy to cover coronavirus related expenses of 100,000 individuals.

DH, previously known as Telenor Health, is a Grameen social business.

It has been offering digital healthcare services for the last four years and has a client base of over five million, said a media release.

The new product, ‘Corona Insurance’, is offered free of cost to 100,000 subscribers online, on a first come first served basis.

It will provide Tk 2,000 if coronavirus test result comes out positive, leading to home isolation, Tk 5,000 upon hospitalisation due to coronavirus, and also provide Tk 20,000 in cash as life insurance cover.

The coverage will last for 60 days from the date of enrolment, and is effective immediately after enrolment.

The aggregate benefit to the recipient individuals can be quite a large sum. In the undesired situation of even 10 percent of individuals turning out to be coronavirus positive, the amount of total expenses covered under the programme would run into tens of millions of taka.

This free offer will be valid until June 11 or until 100,000 enrolment have been achieved, if sooner. After this date no new enrolment will be accepted.

The benefits offered under the insurance will be available for two months from the enrolment date. In other words, if someone enrols on June 11, they can receive benefits until August 10.

To enrol, one has to visit https://care.dh.health/insurance

All individuals who will enrol in the programme will receive a series of health videos and contents on dealing with coronavirus.

Earlier on March 28, DH launched a Coronavirus Symptom Checker online, (https://coronachecker.dh.health/) available to everybody without any cost.

In the first five days after launching, DH Corona Symptom Checker questionnaire was completed by 131,590 persons.

Those who were identified as higher risk were recommended to contact government health lines 333 and 16263.

Individuals from Dhaka, Cumilla, Chattogram, Jashore and Cox’s Bazar together made up 70 percent of all corona checks done in the first five days. Most common symptoms entered were fevers (56 percent) and sore throats (44 percent).

All of those who complete the DH Corona Checker are given helpful advice on prevention and awareness, including the importance of hand washing, and isolation if stronger symptoms are shown, the press release said.

Both the DH Symptom Checker and Corona Insurance are designed to help reduce public anxiety at this critical time, and reduce the financial impact of the crisis on families and wage earners, it said.

This 100,000 free insurance policies against coronavirus are sponsored by Grameen Telecom Trust.

Sajid Rahman, CEO of DH, said: “It’s comforting to know that the vast majority of patients may not be infected by coronavirus – they can take normal measures to recover from their fevers and sore throats.

“It’s important that people prepare themselves and their families for coronavirus. We expect that our effort to minimise anxiety with the Symptom checker, and the Corona Insurance, the free health and life coverage, will also help reducing additional pressure in healthcare system.”

At a time of great anxiety, providing 100,000 people with free health and life financial protection against coronavirus can make a difference to the preparedness and resilience of the people.

“With your support, Digital Health will continue to find new innovations to help people more and more to tackle this public health and economic threat,” Rahman said.