Covid-19: Ethiopia to buy life insurance for health workers
Habtamu Kehali, a trainer of mechanical ventilators, provides training for doctors on how to use mechanical ventilators for the Covid-19 coronavirus patients at the American Medical Center (AMC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on April 1, 2020. PHOTO | MICHAEL TEWELDE | AFP
What you need to know:
- Health minister Lia Tadesse said on Tuesday that the government last week reached an agreement with the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation but did not disclose the value of the cover.
- As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Ethiopia, several doctors, nurses and other health workers in emergency rooms remain at high risk.
Addis Ababa,
The Ethiopian government is due to buy life insurance for health professionals in direct contact with Covid-19 patients.
Health minister Lia Tadesse said on Tuesday that the government last week reached an agreement with the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation but did not disclose the value of the cover.
The two sides are expected to sign an agreement this week to effect the insurance grant.
According to the ministry, the life insurance grant is aimed at encouraging health experts who are the most vulnerable to the deadly coronavirus.
Members of the Rapid Response Team will also benefit.
UNCERTAINTY
As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Ethiopia, several doctors, nurses and other health workers in emergency rooms remain at high risk.
“Doctors and Nurses not only work to save the lives of Covid-19 patients’ but also their own and those of their families” Dr Binyam Abate told the Nation.
“Although they know in advance of the risk they face, health providers who treat Covid-19 patients, including those in intensive care units, face growing uncertainty hence they don’t know where the danger could come from.”
HOMES
The Health ministry is also preparing temporary residential homes for health workers over fears that physicians could bring the virus to their home.
To avoid potential doctors to family virus transmission threat, Noah real estate PLC has immediately responded by delivering a residential apartment complex to ministry of health yesterday.
The residential apartment could accommodate up 300 people.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia on Tuesday reported an additional eight new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of confirmed cases so far to 82.
State Health minister, Dr Lia said, country has tested a total of 447 suspected individuals during the past 24 hours and of the total eight were tested positive for Corona Virus.
