E/C.12/GC/19 page 5 (a) Health care 13. States parties have an obligation to guarantee that health systems are established to provide adequate access to health services for all.9 In cases in which the health system foresees private or mixed plans, such plans should be affordable, in conformity with the essential elements enunciated in the present general comment.10 The Committee notes the particular importance of the right to social security in the context of endemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and the need to provide access to preventive and curative measures. (b) Sickness 14. Cash benefits should be provided to those incapable of working due to ill-health to cover periods of loss of earnings. Persons suffering from long periods of sickness should qualify for disability benefits. (c) Old age 15. States parties should take appropriate measures to establish social security schemes that provide benefits to older persons, starting at a specific age, to be prescribed by national law.11 The Committee stresses that States parties should establish a retirement age that is appropriate to national circumstances which take account of, inter alia, the nature of the occupation, in particular work in hazardous occupations and the working ability of older persons. States parties should, within the limits of available resources, provide non-contributory old-age benefits, social services and other assistance for all older persons who, when reaching the retirement age prescribed in national legislation, have not completed a qualifying period of contributions or are not otherwise entitled to an old-age insurance-based pension or other social security benefit or assistance, and have no other source of income. (d) Unemployment 16. In addition to promoting full, productive and freely chosen employment, States parties must endeavor to provide benefits to cover the loss or lack of earnings due to the inability to obtain or maintain suitable employment. In the case of loss of employment, benefits should be paid for an adequate period of time and at the expiry of the period, the social security system should ensure adequate protection of the unemployed worker, for example through social assistance. The social security system should also cover other workers, including part-time workers, casual workers, seasonal workers, and the self-employed, and those working in atypical 9 General comment No. 14 (2000) on the right to the highest attainable standard of health (art. 12). Coverage must include any morbid condition, whatever its cause, and pregnancy and confinement and their consequences, general and practical medical care, together with hospitalization. 10 11 See above, para. 4 and see below paras. 23-27. See general comment No. 6 (1995) on the economic, social and cultural rights of older persons.