New Health Checks for Workers Over 40 Start in India

This new program offers free annual health check-ups for workers aged 40 and above, a significant expansion of worker welfare.
By Newsroom | Health, Labour |

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya began a national plan yesterday, May 7, 2026, offering free yearly medical examinations for workers aged 40 years and older. The opening event occurred at the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College & Hospital in Basaidarapur, New Delhi. Simultaneously, eleven other ESIC hospital sites across the country also marked the launch. The stated basis for this program rests on recent amendments within the nation's ' new Labour Codes ', legislation combining 29 former central labour laws into four primary sets.

This program makes annual health checks mandatory for eligible workers. The ESIC network—comprising 156 hospitals, 17 medical colleges, and around 1,600 dispensaries—will carry out these screenings. Officials state the work focuses on finding health issues early, offering preventive care, and tracking health over time. There are plans for systematic keeping of health records and regular watch to support worker health in the long run.

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Mandaviya declared this effort part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stated aim for worker well-being, asserting a pledge of dignity and social safety for those employed. According to the Minister, ESIC coverage has grown from about 7 crore beneficiaries a decade ago to nearly 15 crore today. The updated Labour Codes, he noted, are said to include workers in hazardous jobs and those in firms with fewer than 10 workers, extending protections. Mandaviya also asserted that gig and platform workers are now included within social safety frameworks through these new laws. The launch event itself was observed with state officials and representatives from various labour and employer groups.

Background on Labour Codes

The underlying change comes from the four New Labour Codes ' Labour Codes ', consolidating disparate laws covering wages, social security, industrial relations, and occupational safety. These structural alterations, it is claimed, seek to make adherence simpler, promote the move to formal employment, and broaden the reach of social security. This latest medical examination program is framed as a key provision within this changed labour framework, coinciding with ESIC’s 75th Foundation Day celebrations. The changes appear to extend social safety nets, or at least claim to, over a larger segment of the nation’s workforce than previously covered by older rules.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What new health checks are available for workers in India?
A new national plan started yesterday, May 7, 2026, offering free yearly medical check-ups for all workers aged 40 and older. This is part of the new Labour Codes.
Q: Who is offering these free health checks?
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is providing these screenings through its network of hospitals and dispensaries across the country. The launch event was in New Delhi, with 11 other sites also starting the program.
Q: Why are these health checks being offered now?
These checks are now mandatory for eligible workers under recent changes to the nation's Labour Codes. The goal is to find health problems early, provide care, and track worker health over time for better well-being.
Q: Which workers are covered by these new Labour Codes and health checks?
The program covers workers aged 40 and above. The new Labour Codes also aim to include workers in hazardous jobs, those in small firms with less than 10 workers, and gig and platform workers under social safety nets.