Addressing lawmakers and parliamentary staff on Monday in Juba, Kumba said that starting this year, she will push for medical insurance for legislators and that the leadership will be tough on those who will object to the idea.
“This year we are going to make sure that each Member of Parliament gets insurance. This one, we will be a little bit tough on our members, those who are not accepting this idea,” she said.
She said medical insurance will enable lawmakers to have access to medical services anytime.
“But it is the best thing to do for members of parliament besides the money, which is given, there must be medical insurance so that a member of parliament can access medical services anytime and not to wait for money because you can’t wait when somebody is sick, you have to get treatment,” she said.
“This is something we are going to address again at the level of leadership and then we will discuss with members of parliament and look at this issue seriously,” she added.
South Sudan’s 650 members from the Upper and Lower chambers of the parliament receive $15,000 in medical allowances every fiscal year.
The money is meant to cater for their medical treatment needs.