Annual health check ups for govt officials suspended till June 30

The government has suspended till June 30 the mandatory annual health checkup of all its officials in the wake of coronavirus outbreak to avoid unnecessary strain on hospitals and ward off chances of them getting infected in health facilities, officials said Friday.

Annual health checkup is a mandatory requirement for the appraisal of all central government officials above the age of 40 years and it is to be done by March 31 every year, they said.

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country, the process has been suspended till June 30, they said.

"We have a total of 50-60 lakh central government employee and a substantial chunk is above the age of 40 years for whom the health checkup is mandatory," said an official.

Senior officials of Department of Personnel and Training said getting health checkup at hospitals put extra burden on them besides the officials may get infected during their visits to hospitals for the exercise.

"Keeping in mind, the government has decided to suspend the mandatory requirement till June 30 but it will not affect the appraisal process," he said.

More than 1,30,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been recorded in 116 countries and territories, killing at least 4,900 people.

The number of coronavirus patients in the country is 75, including a 76-year-old man in Karnataka who died from the disease, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.