Temesgen Zewdie calls for Ethiopia MPs’ medical insurance

September 1st, 2009 | EthioPolitics.com |

By Kirubel Tadesse, Capital

MP Temesgen Zewdie, vice chair of the opposition group Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), calls on the Government to assure medical coverage for all members of parliament.
Temesgen, a recovering patient himself after battling a life threatening illness related to his spinal cord, wants the latest legislation issued concerning the rights and benefits of former Government officials and other public figures to be revised, and for medical insurance to be included for all active and former MPs.

The president, prime minister, deputy prime minister and chief justice are all in the top category of the new legislation approved by parliament on the last day before it went to the annual recess. The legislation approved all the top four officials to keep their salaries and allowances even after they leave office, increasing whenever adjustments are made for their serving successors.

The officials and their families will also get a four to five bedroom residential house, first class local and if necessary overseas medical services, and three high standard transport vehicles, all at the expense of the Government.

Other executives such as ministers will get lesser benefits, but as long as they serve for one election period they will enjoy medical coverage which isn’t the case for MPs. “All the MPs get from this bill is a certificate that saves them from long lines in public hospitals,” one MP had blasted during the last hearing. Even moderate opposition groups such as Lidetu Ayalew’s Ethiopian Democratic Party had slammed the bill, though the majority ruling party MP’s votes led to its approval.

“MPs here make less than 250 dollars a month and treatments like the one I needed usually cost more than 10,000 US dollars. Where can they get the money from unless the Government, which, by the way assured it’s executives of such benefits now by law and previously by practice, buys medical insurance for MPs? This is an enormous responsibility,” MP Temesgen states. He adds that his treatment was only possible because the public and international community extended their financial support to him. Temesgen said he would be back to his duties when the House opens in late September.

The Government says the nation at its current economic situation cannot pay to cover medical insurance for Federal MPs, currently numbering 547.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi commented to Capital at his latest briefing that though the bill is ‘ungenerous’ even by standards set in other African countries, it must be noted that Ethiopia remains a very poor country even in comparison with most African nations.

Meles added that benefits for MPs and other public figures would improve as the nation’s economy progresses.