PHILIPSBURG–Participants of the Emergency Income Support and Training Programme (EISTP) will receive medical insurance coverage as a result of negotiations by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA with the World Bank and Social Health Insurances SZV. The World Bank will pay for the insurance premiums of the 850-plus participants of the programme for the duration of their participation in the training initiative.
The funds will be generated from the Trust Fund granted to St. Maarten. Previously, participants did not qualify to maintain their health insurance as a consequence of unemployment or reduced employment hours. The instability of government funds to support this large group via the medical aid service of government also served as a challenge to maintain health insurance, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA Emil Lee said.
Many participants who became uninsured after Irma reached out to the Ministry seeking a solution. The collaborative efforts of various ministries, SZV and the World Bank have made it possible for participants to maintain “one of the fundamental needs during our rebuilding process, health insurance,” Lee said.
“The outcome of these negotiations extend beyond securing the health insurance of the participants, but also secure the stability of the funds managed by SZV. The health insurance premiums of the participants will be paid for by the World Bank, reducing risk to the ZV fund. The limitations of government financial resources is now less strained, as this large group of persons would not have to fall under the care of the medical aid services,” Lee noted.
The EISTP training programme is facilitated by the St. Maarten Training Foundation and is subsidised by government. The programme began as a private endeavour in December 2017 and launched as a government pilot in February 2018 and is now in a new format, with increased support from the World Bank. The programme is a paid hospitality training that offers cash for temporary employment, training or education to underemployed and unemployed persons. The main objective of the programme is to prevent mass layoffs in the hospitality industry.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/80346-insurance-now-available-to-income-support-training-prog-participants
View comments
Hide comments