Considering the huge risk that journalists face during their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nepal Press Union (NPU) which is an umbrella organization of journalists in Nepal, has  provided a first-of-its-kind insurance scheme for all its working journalists.

To this end, the NPU has entered into an agreement with private insurer IME General for free COVID-19 insurance cover to journalists of Sunsari district in the country. Under the scheme, 150 journalists will be insured free of charge for an amount of NPR100,000 ($821) each, as part of the insurer’s corporate social responsibility programme.

According to the policy, insured journalist can make claims if he or she tests positive for COVID-19 on the basis of the polymerase chain reaction test.

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The President of NPU in Sunsari, Pawan Adhikari said; the insurance scheme would be made available to all journalists working in the district.

“We have formed a working group to finalise the names of the 150 working journalists who would be formally insured for a year.”