COVID-19: 5,000 frontline health workers get N112.5m insurance cover

The Nigerian Insurance industry has provided live Insurance cover for 5,000 health workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 to the tune of N112,500,000 premium.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on (COVID-19) Pandemic, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this during the daily press briefing by the task force in Abuja.

According to him, the premium in total had been fully paid by the insurance industry, charging all health workers on the frontline to redouble their commitment to the fight to save Nigeria from the hold on to spreading virus.

He however thanked operators of the industry for coming out to be counted among those who had contributed to the campaign against COVID-19 in Nigeria. He also charged other sectors of the economy to also come out to support the campaign.

“I am however pleased to inform you that, in addition to what the Federal Government is doing, the Insurance Industry has responded massively to the call for support.

“The PTF has received the Life Insurance cover to the frontline workers on COVID-19 for a maximum of 5000 health workers who are employed to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The premium in the sum of N112,500,000 for the cover has been fully paid by the Nigerian Insurance Industry in line with the principle of No Premium, No Cover.

“The PTF wishes to thank the Insurance Industry immensely and calls on others sectors of the economy to rise up to support the efforts to fight COVID-19. I also call on our frontline health workers to double their efforts just as we assure them of our determination to protect them”, he said.

Mustapha also emphasised the focus of the government to ensure a sustained food security policy and assured farmers of the readiness of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to make farm inputs and other services available to assist them get started in the new farming season.

“I also wish to use this opportunity to restate that food security and self-sufficiency remain important to our national life. I therefore urge all our farmers to begin to prepare for their return to the farms as the planting season.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has put in place arrangements for access to farm inputs, extension and others services”, he said.

He said further that by virtue of Thursday’s appointment of President Muhammadu Buhari as Champion of the fight against COVID-19 by the Summit of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government, the PTF had to redesign its template to include the whole West African subregion.

“I am pleased to inform you that in consideration of the need to ensure high-level coordination of all the regional efforts to contain the pandemic, the summit appointed H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria as CHAMPION, to coordinate the COVID-19 response and eradication process.

“This is a monumental recognition for the leadership role of our President and an endorsement of the direction we are headed in our national response. The implication of this assignment is that the PTF must now factor the West African Sub-region into its plan and activities, to support Mr. President in his new role.

“I must add that the Summit also set up Ministerial Coordination Committees on Health, Finance, and Transport to coordinate Regional efforts , under the supervision of the CHAMPION”, he said.