Nurses’ Association signs on to insurance plan

Nurses who are a part of the Nurses’ Association of Guyana are now being provided with health and life insurance along with discounts at 75 stores across Guyana as a result of an agreement signed with the Assuria insurance company. 

The agreement was signed at Assuria’s Church Street, Georgetown office on Thursday by the company’s General Manager, Yogindra Arjune and President of the Nurses’ Association, Cleopatra Barkoye.

The insurance plan – ‘Serve and Protect’ – will benefit some 930 nurses who are part of the association.

Grace Bond, Executive Director of the Guyana Nurses’ Association, acknowledged that while Nurses are underpaid, the insurance plan is affordable.

“I think that this is a plus for our membership,” Bond said, adding “We know it is needed, our salary is not much so when we find insurance that is affordable, the benefits are great…I know many more persons will sign on to have these benefits for themselves and their families.”

Nurses have already begun visiting the insurance company to sign on to the plan which also provides benefits for their dependents.

Currently, Nurses only benefit from compulsory contributions made to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

“For all the insurances we have, the nurses will have preferential rates,” Assuria’s General Manager Yogindra Arjune said.

He added that the Nurses will be able to have “very easy” payment plans whereby they will be able to make payments for all insurance needs on a monthly basis.

It was also disclosed that the Nurses will be refunded a percentage of their airfare if they are required to travel overseas for treatment through a travel insurance plan.

The contributions to the plan range from $300 to $2,000.