Vietnam, South Africa share experience in social insurance development
Representatives of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) shared information and experiences in managing social insurance and welfare programmes at a meeting in Pretoria, South Africa on June 13.
Deputy General Director of the VSS Tran Dinh Lieu (L) and Chief Executive Officer of the SASSA Busisiwe Memela-Khambula (Photo: VNA)
Pretoria (VNA) – Representatives of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) shared information and experiences in managing social insurance and welfareprogrammes at a meeting in Pretoria, South Africa on June 13.
Deputy General Director of the VSS Tran Dinh Lieu, who is ona working trip to the African nation, said the agency is eager to learn from the SASSA’s experience in the application of information technology (IT) and digital transformation.
He introduced the organisationalstructure, and development strategies, as well as efforts and achievements ofthe VSS in expanding the coverage of social insurance schemes and policies toall citizens and all target groups across Vietnam.
The VSS has achieved significant improvements in administrative reform, and acceleratedthe application of IT and digital transformation inits activities to make it easier for citizens and agencies in implementing insurance procedures, he said.
Participants at the wortking session (Photo: VNA)
Latest data of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) show over 17.4million Vietnamese people participated in social insurance as of the end of May, accounting for 37.48% of the working-age population, and up 2.7% compared to the same period in2022.
The insurance sector implemented variousflexible solutions to raise the number of people covered by health insurance to approximately90.69 million people, up 4.43 million compared to the same period last year, headded.
For her part, Chief Executive Officer of the SASSA Busisiwe Memela-Khambula said the agencyis willing to share its experiences in applying IT technology in socialinsurance in South Africa and wants to learn from Vietnam's management andhuman resource development experience.
She briefed Vietnamese delegates on the comprehensive social security programmeof South Africa, which consists of three pillars - social assistance programme,social insurance, and private insurance.
According to Khambula, the SASSA provides monthlyincome support to over 18.8 million people in South Africa, including theelderly, persons with disabilities, veterans, children, and individuals withdifficult circumstances./.
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