Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

The Committee took note of the observations trasmitted by the Central Union of Workers of the Peruvian Social Security Institute and the Government's reply. The Central Union of Workers alleges, in particular, that the new measures introduced by the Government with the aim of privatizing the system have resulted in the commercialization of workers' health. For its part, the Government has referred in its report to a health organization project to be elaborated in the Democratic Constituent Congress which provides better possibilities for covering the entire national population by the extension of its geographic scope. The Government also mentioned that article 11 of the 1993 Constitution declares that "the State shall guarantee free access to health and pension benefits by means of public, private or mixed institutions. It also supervises their efficient functioning". The Committee takes note of this information. It recalls that, in its 1992 observation, it requested the Government to communicate detailed information on the measures taken in practice to ensure the extension of health services over the entire national territory and to provide them with the necessary infrastructure to protect all the workers covered by the Convention. The Committee therefore hopes that all new legislation adopted in the area of sickness insurance will take fully into account the provisions of the Convention. It trusts that the next report of the Government will contain the information requested in its previous observation, as well as detailed explanations, for each of the Articles of the Convention, on the provisions in laws and regulations which make it possible to ensure its full application in law and practice.