The General Directorate of the Local Security Agency (ASP) au Senegal recently announced a withholding of 2 500 F CFA on the agents’ savings, intended for their membership in the Mutual health insurance. This decision, which will take effect at the end of the month, is sparking a debate among the agents concerned, between the imperative of solidarity and concerns linked to their low income.
According to Seydina Oumar Tourédirector of the Agency, this measure is part of a process of compliance with national legislation. In fact, the law n°2003-14 relating to mutual health insurance and its implementing decree stipulate that the resources of mutual health insurance must come from membership fees and contributions from their members. In this sense, the State cannot continue to exclusively finance these structures.
“This is a return to orthodoxy”explains the director in a note relayed by our colleagues at Daily. This deduction from the nest egg was decided following consultations with agents and validated by the Agency’s Supervisory Board as well as the Ministry of Finance and Budget.
The General Directorate of the ASP affirms that this contribution aims to offer agents and their families improved social coverage. The mutual now covers up to 80% of expenses related to medical care, the purchase of medicines and medical evacuations.
However, this corrective measure is not unanimous. Many agents express reservations, emphasizing that their emoluments are too low to support this withholding. The question of the purchasing power of Asp regularly comes up in reviews.
Faced with protests, the General Management reminds that membership in the Mutual Health Insurance is not compulsory. Agents who do not wish to participate can request disaffiliation and obtain a refund of amounts already deducted.
Despite this flexibility, Management invites agents to favor the spirit of solidarity. According to her, the participation of all is essential to strengthen collective social coverage and guarantee better care of health needs.
This initiative highlights the difficulty of balancing social solidarity and individual budgetary constraints. On the one hand, the State seeks to promote a collective and equitable health system, aligned with the principles of mutual societies. On the other hand, agents with modest incomes are struggling to absorb this new financial burden.
