23rd January, 2015
Funsho Arogundade
As the industry mourns the tragic end of vibrant and talented actor, Muna Obiekwe, who died on Sunday 18 January, the entire crew of Nigerian Entertainment Industry Lecture Series, NEILS, initiators of the Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Scheme, NEIHTF, and Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Trust Fund, NEIHTF, has expressed their own condolences.
“Due to his (Muna) great contributions to Nollywood, the news of his death was heartbreaking and devastating for the entire Nigerian entertainment community and Africa at large. Our continuous prayer at NEILS is that God will give his family the fortitude to bear the great loss,” a statement from NEILS read.
Family sources revealed that the actor was suffering from Kidney ailment for a while but he decided to keep it very private. Things however got worse when he couldn’t afford money for his dialysis anymore.
P.M.NEWS Entertainment Cafe learnt that on Monday, a rally was held in Kaduna to solicit financial support for an Hausa actor who is also in dire need of support for a surgery. His colleagues are however doing all what they can to raise money for the surgery as his condition is very critical.
A northern actress died under similar circumstance last year days after she left a movie set as she could not afford her own medical bills.
To stop similar tragedies, NEILS said it has moved to fast track the kickoff of the Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Scheme (NEIHIS) and the inauguration of the Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Trust Fund (NEIHTF).
The inauguration of the trust fund will also avail practitioners in the entertainment industry the opportunity of knowing the registered Board of Trustees.
The health insurance scheme will take care of general consultation, surgeries, evacuation, physiotherapy, Eye care and surgery, advanced Radiological Investigation, accident & emergency, hospital admission and many more.
The health trust fund will take care of all terminal ailments including kidney diseases right from the dialysis stage. The enrolment plans will however be made public before the end of the week.
Nigerian Entertainment Industry Health Insurance Scheme (NEIHIS) is a private health insurance scheme with customized plans specifically for the entertainment industry.