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Medical Care and Sickness Benefits Convention, 1969 (No. 130) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (RATIFICATION: 1977)

The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in its report.

1. Part II (Medical care), Article 16, paragraphs 1 and 3 of the Convention. In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government indicates that in the restructuring of the Bolivian social security, careful account has been taken of the Committee's recommendation that medical care should be provided throughout the contingency. In accordance with the Convention, this care should be extended for prescribed diseases recognised as entailing prolonged care when the beneficiary ceases to belong to a category of protected persons. The Committee notes this statement with interest. It hopes that the above-mentioned structural reform will shortly be completed and that it will give full effect to the Convention as regards this point.

2. Part III (Sickness benefit), Article 21 (in conjunction with Article 22). The Committee notes with interest the information supplied by the Government. It notes in particular that the Government will request technical assistance from the ILO. The Committee hopes that, with the help of the ILO Regional Adviser on social security, in its next report the Government will be able to provide the statistical information required by the report form adopted by the Governing Body under Article 22, so that the Committee can determine whether the amount of sickness benefit prescribed by the Convention for a standard beneficiary is attained.

3. Article 26, paragraph 1. In reply to the Committee's previous comments, the Government indicates that section 30 of Legislative Decree No. 13214 of 24 December 1975 does not impose any conditions for the extension of the payment of sickness benefit by a further 26 weeks. However it states that, should the Committee maintain its position, it would be grateful to receive assistance from the Regional Adviser.

The Committee notes this statement with interest. It considers that, to avert any risk of confusion, it would be advisable to harmonise section 30 of Legislative Decree No. 13214 with this provision of the Convention which prescribes that sickness benefits must be granted throughout the contingency, although the grant of the benefit may be limited to 52 weeks in each case of incapacity.

The Committee expresses the hope that, with technical assistance from the Office, the Government will gradually be able to overcome its difficulties in applying the Convention.