PHNOM PENH: From November 14, 2023 to January 1, 2024, the Ministry of Labor registered a total of 106,862 new members to the Social Security Health Care Program.

According to Ministry spokesperson Kata On, 97,031 of the registrants were self-employed. So far, there have been 49,929 healthcare visits totalling nearly 8 billion Riels ($1.96 million) through the program.

He said that the Ministry of Labor has conducted a total of 4,599 campaigns in factories, enterprises, rental houses, markets and towns reaching 1,371,129 potential applicants.

He said the Ministry of Labor has been continuing its campaign to promote the national program on social security and voluntary health care across the country to advertise benefits and register citizens.

According to the Ministry, expanding the scope of the social security system to self-employed individuals and their dependents has encouraged many more individuals to become members of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). It says that the NSSF has improved the mental health of workers and their dependents by helping to reduce costs, strengthening the stability and predictability of income and improving their physical health.

Prime Minister Hun Manet officially announced the new social security program on November 14, 2023, in an effort to help impoverished and vulnerable families, especially the youth.