RWANDA: Medical insurance bill passed

By James Karuhanga

LAWMAKERS on Friday finally passed the long awaited medical insurance bill, as the House capped this year’s parliamentary business.

Shortly after her committee presented its work on the final draft legislation, the deputy chair of the standing committee on social affairs, Ignatienne Nyirarukundo, told The New Times that she was happy the new law had been passed.

Nyirarukundo said: “This would help deal with the problems Rwandans have been struggling with. What makes me so happy is that now there will be basis for helping people who get hospital services, in terms of compensation, without difficulty.” 

Nyirarukundo explained that the bill would help medics get insurance since they sometimes work in risky situations.

“It is really important that people working in the health sector get insured as this is a very risky area. One could possibly harm the health of people and this will ensure that the patients or people affected can get justice and can also get compensation.”

“Whenever it would be necessary that they pay, they would pay through deducting from their own salaries. But now, there is going to be insurance. This is simply some important headway made.” 

The lawmakers on Friday had to cancel their normal lunch break to stay in the plenary and wrap up business. 

Before the House concluded its last extraordinary session of the year, lawmakers also passed several other bills, including the draft law determining the organisation and functioning of decentralised administrative entities: the City of Kigali, districts, sectors, cells and villages.

The House as well passed the code of criminal procedure, a review of the 2004 law relating to the code of criminal procedure. The reviewed code’s purpose is to govern criminal investigation and prosecution aimed at imposing penal sanctions against acts that contravene the law.

MPs examined and approved the House Bureau’s request to review the 2011 law determining the organisation and functioning of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). 

At the end of 2012, the Parliament had passed over 80 laws.

Meanwhile, lawmakers also approved the tabling of a new draft law relating to land use and development planning in Rwanda, which repeals the 2005 law on land use. Article 14 of this bill stipulates that land use and development plans and urban area plans which were adopted before this law shall remain in force but subjected to amendments that will align them with the National Land Use and Development Master Plan.

Source: NT (30/12/2012): http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15222&a=13176