FG Plans Insurance For Health Workers
AMINA HUSSAINI, Abuja
With the increasing hazards faced by health workers in the front-line of the battle against COVID-19, the Federal government is finalising plans to procure insurance to keep them safe from the ravaging virus that has killed many, disrupted lifestyle and businesses all over the world.
Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said the government will provide adequate insurance to keep the front-line health workers safe from the Coronavirus pandemic as they work day and night
The health workers have in defense of Nigerians, been at the front line of the response to the outbreak of the pandemic that has recorded 276 patients and six deaths between March and now.
With no insurance policy, they have been exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection from COVID-19 hazards including pathogen exposure, long working hours, psychological distress, fatigue, occupational burnout, stigma, and physical and psychological violence.
“We will give them adequate insurance with adequate compensation and support during, and in the aftermath of the COVID 19 pandemic” assured Zainab Ahmed who commended the courage of the health workers.
The government is led into taking this step owing to the patriotism and sacrifice exhibited by the healthcare workers, whose critical roles in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic place their health and lives at risk
She stated that the government would engage with the insurance industry to package special health care insurance for health care workers adding that “we are taking steps to activate, release and (where necessary) enhance the hazard allowances provided in the remuneration structure of the Federal health sector workers.”
Assuring as her words are, feelers from the insurance industry which the government looks up to, are indicative of a divided house in terms of strategies to employ following the reaction of some operators to a letter from the sector regulator, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in which it rallies the industry to pool N500 million to assist in the fight against the virus.
Prior to the government’s decision had been efforts to assists by contributing some money which some operators argued, should have been voluntary rather than the minimum amount of N10 million sanctioned in the letter of the 3 April signed by the acting commissioner for insurance Sunday Thomas was the climax of the several meetings that have held in the industry.
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