The National Association of Nurses of Panama (ANEP) and a coalition of popular organizations have vehemently rejected the bill to reform the Social Security Fund (CSS), considering that these reforms aim at privatization and the weakening of the services of this social security institution. In a meeting that brought together union leaders, specialists, and advisors from various areas, organized nurses decided to unite to defend the CSS and the human right to health.
During the event, prominent speakers such as university professors William Hughes, Ana Patiño, and Maribel Gordón emphasized the importance of strengthening and improving the social security system in Panama. Among the most critical points of the bill is the elimination of the best 10 years of salary as a calculation base for pensions, which, according to the nurses, promotes inequity in the system.
The government proposal suggests the privatization of CSS funds and services, granting administration to national or foreign entities through concessions. It also proposes an increase in retirement age and the incorporation of 36 additional contributions, which, according to critics, would lead many insured individuals to receive insufficient pensions.
The nurses belonging to ANEP highlighted that these reforms undermine fundamental principles of social security and strip the State of its responsibility in this area, stating that it is an attack on national heritage. Furthermore, they expressed their concern about the uncertainty generated by the unification of various funds and the modification in the calculation of pensions. In contrast to the official proposal, the popular movement advocates for a greater state contribution to GDP to ensure the sustainability of social security in the country.
