Wed, 21 Feb 2018 07:54:21 +0000
By AARON CHIYANZO
PUBLIC service employees will be contributing 1 percent of their basic salary towards the compulsory Public Service Health Insurance Scheme while the other 1 percent will come from Government to make a total of 2 percent of basic salary in contributions.
This will enable government employees and their families access quality health care any time, says Zambia Union of Government and Allied Workers president Muyaywa Kabisa.
Mr Kabisa said that under the scheme agreed with all public service unions, the contribution will be shared between the workers and the government as employer.
Mr Kabisa said 1 percent would be deducted from the employee while the government will pay the other half.
He said at a press briefing in Lusaka that the trade union movement looked forward to the National Health Insurance Scheme awaiting second reading in Parliament and would not take lightly any form of opposition to the scheme by public workers.
Mr Kabisa pointed out that the implementation of the Public Health Insurance Scheme was agreed with government to commence on 1st January 2018.
He explained that the Public Service Health Insurance Scheme was not a stand alone as it stemmed from and fed into the overall National Health Insurance Scheme.
“It is important therefore that all employees in the public service look not at the Public Service Health Insurance Scheme in isolation but in the light of the National Health Insurance Scheme,” he said.
Mr Kabisa said that employees in both public and private sector had for a long time undergone humiliation and torment when in the face of health related challenges requiring quality medical care.
He called on all employees to treasure the debate around the National Health Insurance Scheme and monitor every development around the subject.
Mr Kabisa also appreciated Government’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all people through the 7th National Development Plan.
He pointed out that in the plan, Government had set among its top priorities enhancing human development and improving health services.
He also noted that increased access to health care services was on top of government’s agenda.
“The scheme is in conformity with the tenets of the universal health declaration” Mr Kabisa said.
