Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1996, published 85th ILC session (1997)

Part II (Medical care), Article 9, and Part VIII (Maternity benefit), Article 48, of the Convention. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in reply to its previous comments concerning the scope of the general social security scheme. In particular, it notes with interest that the number of insured persons under the general scheme rose from 1,942,054 in 1994 to 2,516,680 in 1995. Furthermore, it notes that, according to the information contained in the Statistics Yearbook for Venezuela of 1994, the number of employees was 4,557,327 in 1994. The Committee therefore considers that the provisions of Articles 9(a) and 48(a) of the Convention can be considered to be applied, provided that the total number of employees remained constant in 1995. The Committee therefore hopes that the Government will be able to provide updated information in its next report both on the number of employees protected under the general social security scheme and on the total number of employees for the same reference period.

Part II (Medical care), Article 10, paragraph 1(a). In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government recalls that, in so far as medical care is concerned, the activities of the IVSS are governed by the Social Insurance Act and its general regulations. While noting this statement, the Committee once again draws the Government's attention to the fact that this legislation does not specify the types of medical care that must be provided to the protected persons, under the terms of Article 10, paragraph 1(a), of the Convention. It therefore hopes that the Government's next report will contain detailed information on the measures that have been taken or are envisaged to set out in the social security legislation or its regulations the types of medical care to be provided in accordance with this provision of the Convention.

Part VIII (Maternity benefit), Article 50 (in conjunction with Article 65) and Article 52. The Committee notes with interest that section 11 of the Social Insurance Act, as amended in the partial reform of 20 July 1991, henceforth provides that insured persons are entitled to medical care and a daily benefit during the maternity leave provided for by the law, and that the above benefit cannot be less than the normal wage received by the woman worker in the month immediately preceding the commencement of the leave. The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain detailed information on the measures taken or envisaged to bring section 143 of the general social security regulations into conformity with section 11 of the Social Insurance Act, as amended.

[The Government is asked to provide a detailed report for 1998.]