The National Social Security Fund has expanded health insurance coverage for garment workers to include vaccines and diagnostic tests for ailments, such as ovarian cancer, under a new prakas from the Ministry of Labour.

Labour Minister Ith Sam Heng yesterday revealed the new coverage while meeting with some 900 garment workers renting housing in the capital’s Sen Sok district.

Some of the new benefits include a rabies vaccination, an anti-tetanus shot, a thyroid-stimulating hormone test and a cancer “antigen 125” test, used to detect ovarian cancer.

“The NSSF is responsible for . . . paying [for those services] as mentioned in the prakas,” he said. “NSSF ... must implement the prakas effective from the signing date of February 8.”

Ouk Samvichea, executive director of the NSSF, said the body will follow the prakas and will continue to cover other regular health care services and work-related injuries as well.

Sam Van, a garment worker, said workers appreciated the new coverage and felt safer having health insurance and coverage for work-related injuries.