Nurses Fund pays K20,000 to beneficiary

By ELIZABETH MIAE

THE PNG Nurses Association Welfare Fund made its first death benefit payout to beneficiaries of a member in Port Moresby yesterday. 

A cheque of K20,000 was presented to Pauline Ilo, wife of late Dama Ilo, a community health worker and welfare fund member who passed away while serving in Goilala, Central, last November. 

According to national president Sr Eimi Kaptigau, Dama started contributing to the welfare fund in 2007.

She said although the welfare fund was for nurses, other cadres of health workers were welcomed to join. 

“This is the first time that we’re giving out a very big assistance and we’re proud of it,” Kaptigau said. 

“We’ve increased the premium from K11 to K21 per fortnight for members and we’ve attracted a lot of interest from other health workers, including the doctors.

“We’re the only association doing insurance for our members. Insurance is a risky business but when the need arises the money is there, you pick it up and use it.”

Last August, the Fund commenced an improved group life insurance plant for its members over five years.

LIC is a subsidiary of the National Teachers Insurance Ltd. General manager Raka Taviri said all Papua New Guineans should be insured.

“I personally want to cover the 7 million in the country. Whether we are politicians or nurses, death will come one day,” Taviri said.

“We have to be ready so when there’s a death, our families don’t have to go looking for toea. Insurance is a way of life.”