With the spike in Covid 19 cases, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has said members battling Covid-19 will be given an option to access part of their benefits under the invalidity benefits provision.
According to Daily Monitor, Richard Byarugaba, the NSSF managing director said that the Fund is only considering those in Intensive Care Unit. He also said that the fund has already helped some members in this regard.
The publication also stated that Byarugaba did not provide specifics on how many members had approached NSSF in this regard or how much had been paid out.
“It is an invalidity benefit. Basically, it is a benefit which is available to members who are either incapacitated or are not able to work. And since we have seen that Covid-19 can sometimes result in serious medication, the [NSSF doctor] assesses and then authorizes it [pay out],” he said
Byarugaba said access will be on a case-by-case basis with attention given to members in critical condition, he noted that the assessment for the payout is done in less than a week.
.”Especially, now that we know that you have to pay a lot of money when you are in intensive care, we have considered this. But it entirely remains a doctors decision,” he said.