The 1,000-strong healthcare workers and volunteers handling the coronavirus crisis in Lagos State on Saturday got a huge incentive to give their all in the battle against the deadly infection.

Five insurance firms teamed up with the state government to contribute premium for a N5 billion insurance scheme to support Health Care Workers and Volunteers.

The companies are Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc, Lasaco Assurance Plc, AIICO Insurance Plc, Tangerine Life Insurance Limited and Ark Insurance Brokers Limited.

Mr H.A.B. Fasinro of Fenchurch Group who helped in assembling the team said the initiative will “help with the practical solution of providing medical, disability/incapacity and term life insurance cover for up to 1,000 healthcare workers and volunteers who are in the front line in the fight against COVID-19 in Lagos State.”

He added that the health workers and volunteer caregivers “continue to play an invaluable frontline role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are Mr Tunde Hassan-Odukale of  Leadway Assurance Company Limited; Mr Wole Oshin of  Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc; Mr Segun Balogun of  Lasaco Assurance Plc; Mr Babatunde Fajemirokun of AIICO Insurance Plc; Mr Livingstone Magorimbo of  Tangerine Life Insurance Limited; and  Mr Kayode Awogboro of  Ark Insurance Brokers Limited.

The firms “collectively agreed and shall bear the cost of all premiums to make available a pool of funds of up to (five billion Naira) to settle all valid claims.

“The coverage of the policies will be limited to inpatient hospital cash and life insurance cover for healthcare workers and volunteers in Lagos State.”

The Nation