The Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) has embarked on initiatives aimed at achieving successful establishment of a health insurance unit for Journalists.
According to the statement extended to the media, the Union this week met with media stakeholders including managers of media houses and deliberated on health insurance plan for Journalists.
“The Union of Journalists of South Sudan on Monday (31st, March 2025) organized a breakfast meeting in Juba’s Crown Hotel in a bid to establish a health insurance unit for journalists in the country” the statement partly read.
The plan came barely few weeks after the untimely death of one of the prominent journalists in the country and recurrent deaths among journalists.
The stakeholders after serious deliberation, proposed share responsibility with Journalists themselves to contribute while the Union take leads in mobilizing resources for the same initiative.
“At the meeting, members proposed that each and every journalist in South Sudan will be paying an annual insurance subscription fee to enable them get health insurance cards from an insurance company, which will have an agreement with the union” the statement read.
At the conclusion of the breakfast meeting, media stakeholders recommended eight steps to be put in place in order to successful achieve the plan, these include UJOSS to look for funds to top up the money contributed by journalists,all journalists must pay the agreed health insurance feesamong others.
Last month, the President of Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS), Oyet Patrick appealed to media owners to provide health insurance for their journalists.
Mr. Oyet made the appeal during a two-day media orientation workshop for journalists, organized by the National Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Our media houses should help us to have health insurance for our journalists,” Oyet appealed
The UJOSS president stressed that health insurance is a vital benefit media houses should offer their journalists.
“There is a need for media houses to conduct general checkups for their journalists, even once a year,” he said.
He expressed concerns over the impact of health-related issues on journalists, revealing that the union has lost three young journalists in the past six months alone.
He urged health experts to guide journalists in regularly monitoring their health.
Health insurance is a contract in which a company agrees to cover a portion of a consumer’s medical expenses. For individuals and families, health insurance enhances access to health services and provides financial protection.
