Paomee Welfare Foundation (PWF), a charitable trust of All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union, AMWJU, awarded financial assistance, totaling Rs. 3. 3 lakhs to six (6) journalists to cover medical treatment expenses incurred by them, on themselves or their nominees during April–September, 2021. The medical conditions for which assistance was doled out included, Cancer, Liver Serosis, Hemoptysis and Covid-19 infection.

Alongside the disbursement of the financial assistance held at the Manipur Press Club, PWF, invited applications from bona fide journalists for the phase-2 of the Medical Financial Assistance for the year 2021-22 for treatment expenses incurred between, 1^st October 2021 to 31^st March 2022. The next disbursement would be done in April 2022.

The financial assistance of Rs. 3,30,000/- were handed over to the six beneficiaries at a simple function held at the Manipur Press Club by the PWF team led by its chairperson and the newly elected AMWJU President Wangkhemcha Shamjai, along with the other trustees of the Foundation, namely, N. Tombiraj, Asem Bhakta and Sunzu Bachaspatimayum. With four of six beneficiaries already having received immediate financial assistance from AMWJU, their respective amount received as advance were deducted from the amount, recommended by the Medical Board.

Poknapham, executive editor, Gautam Sharma Shamurailatpam, was awarded Rs. 90,000/- as assistance for the treatment of his mother. M Keimuanthang, Churachandpur correspondent of People’s Chronicle, received Rs. 75,000/- for medical expenses incurred on his wife, who unfortunately succumbed to her ailment.  Chongtham Meghabarna of Paonilkhon was awarded Rs. 50,000/-.  Kh. Inaomacha Singh and Wahengbam Lalpal of Impact TV received Rs. 30,000/- and Rs. 35,000/- respectively.  Lastly, K. Sarojkumar Sharma of Morning Bell was awarded Rs. 50,000/- for his medical bills.   

During a brief interaction, beneficiaries expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the assistance provided to them by PWF-AMWJU and hoped that such assistance continues to assist working journalists in the future too. PWF Chairperson, Shamjai recalled that a corpus fund of Rs 85 lakhs was raised in 2017 and deposited with SBI. Out of the interest earned from the bank, the medical financial assistance is being provided to past and present AMWJU members every six (6) months in a year.  He further assured to raise the corpus fund amount through another fund raising event to raise the amount of reimbursement, provided as assistance.

PWF’s financial assistance are doled out on the basis of the recommendations made by the Medical Board of PWF, consisting Dr. A Santa Singh, director as representative of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS, Dr. O. Guneshwar Singh, representing Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, JNIMS and Dr. Kh. Palin, Managing director, Shija Hospitals and Research Institute.  

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