NSSF adds100K new members

THE labour ministry is working closely with its partners to expand the scope of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to provide healthcare coverage for the dependants of self-employed individuals.

To date, it has conducted 4,615 separate campaigns to raise public awareness among the self-employed in the vicinity of factories, manufacturing enterprises and rental unit blocks where such businesses are concentrated, markets and other urban areas.

The figures were revealed as Prime Minister Hun Manet met with over 10,000 workers on January 8 in Koh Kong province.

Labour minister Heng Sour noted that since the launch of the programme to cover the self-employed and their dependants, the ministry has registered a total of 111,720 individuals, 11,506 of them are dependants.

“We have expanded the scope of healthcare to self-employed persons and their dependants, including husbands or wives under the age of 60, as well as their children under the age of 18. They can access healthcare coverage for just 15,600 riel [per month],” he said.

“According to our study, each of them saves from $15 to $20 per month, especially those who have children under the age of 6,” he added.

He continued that eventually, the healthcare programme might cover nine million people, ensuring they receive health examinations, treatment and care.

Chey Tech, an independent socio-economic analyst, said that registering target groups – including employees of registered businesses, self-employed persons and dependants – for social security is an excellent step, but cautioned that the number of registered people remained small.

He believes that enrolment remains low because information about the programmes has yet to reach the whole population. He cautioned that many factory workers are poorly educated and may not have a clear understanding of the scheme.

“The ministry’s figures remain small if we consider the number of dependants of prospective NSSF members, including almost one million factory workers, not to mention the dependants of employees of registered businesses and the self-employed,” he said.

“The ministry should ensure publicity is more widespread, so more people can enjoy the benefits,” he added.