Ministry urged to extend NSSF coverage; CSOs submit request

ASENIOR official from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said 17 trade unions and civil society organisations (CSOs) had previously submitted over 20 requests, proposing that the authority enhance and broaden National Social Security Fund (NSSF) services in an effective, transparent and accountable manner.

Katta Orn, spokesperson for the ministry, noted on December 31 that, with public backing, the requests had been handled efficiently and yielded positive results.

He added that their requests pertained to deficiencies in medical attention and delays in compensation payments, which the ministry has addressed.

He urged self-employed persons and members of the NSSF to voluntarily register with the body to obtain healthcare cards.

The unions, organisations and associations – including the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC); Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI); the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (CCAWDU); the Cambodian Tourism Workers’ Union Federation (CTWUF); and Transparency International (TI) Cambodia – suggested on December 25 that the ministry and the NSSF enhance medical services effectively and extend registration to workers in smaller construction and agriculture businesses, as well as those in the informal economy.

“We noted that the NSSF had made remarkable developments in this area. However, we still identified deficiencies in understanding NSSF usage, medical attention and compensation payment timeliness, as well as issues related to registering both informal and formal economy workers into the NSSF,” they stated in a joint letter to the ministry.

The letter highlighted the need for timely solutions and responses to the identified needs and deficiencies in the programme, suggesting that the ministry fortify and broaden NSSF services in an effective, transparent and accountable manner. CHEA SOKNY