Entrusted by the Ministry of Finance, the Banco Nacional de Fomento must pay various companies for the medical insurance of the officials of the Central Administration of the State. This benefit is intended for public workers because they do not have IPS, said Reinaldo Barreto, president of the Workers’ Union of the Ministry of Health.
However, for two months, the National Development Bank abruptly cut off payment to insurance companies, despite the existence of a contract. This measure affected more than 20,000 people who now no longer have medical insurance due to non-payment, Barreto said.
“Since April, without any explanation, that payment has been cut off and the workers of the Central Administration have no more insurance against non-payment by the BNF,” he emphasized.
The lack of health insurance worries the central unions of the public function because Paraguay is slowly entering a complex epidemiological scenario, with the wave of respiratory conditions and the increase in Covid-19 cases, warned the president of the Union. of Workers of the Ministry of Health.
“Right now, our concern is that our colleagues are left without health services, when the escalation of Covid-19 returns. We have more than 20,000 colleagues without health insurance. This has huge repercussions and we don’t even know the reason for the lack of payments”, he stressed.
Along the same lines, Barreto assured that the financial institution has not yet provided explanations regarding the lack of payment to insurance companies and that, until now, it has limited itself to “providing excuses.”
“They give simple justifications and pretexts. All the documents that they requested were presented to them and brought to them, but they do not comply with the contracts,” he asserted. In an attempt to reverse the lack of payments to insurers, the union centrals asked the Ministry of Labor to convene a tripartite meeting with the Ministry of Finance, the National Development Bank and the affected officials.
However, so far, this request has not been heard. Given the lack of answers, the trade union centers are considering taking more drastic measures.
“They promised, the Minister of Labor promised. However, until now, there is no solution. People go to health services, laboratories, but they cannot be treated due to the lack of payment to insurance companies. The service totally suffered, ”she lamented.
To determine what will be the next measures that public officials will take before the medical insurance is cut, a meeting was held yesterday at the headquarters of the Unitary Central of Authentic Workers.
Officials do not rule out organizing demonstrations and even strikes if medical insurance is not restored for those affected.
