By Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
Premier Service Medical Aid Society PSMAS card holders have welcomed the government’s ZW$4,2 billion bailout package to the company, which is meant to help the medical aid resume operations.
With doctors and health facilities rejecting to offer services to PSMAS card members, owing to the failure by the society to pay them their dues, most members were left in the cold in the past few weeks.
However, the ZW$4-billion-dollar rescue package from the government that was announced this Tuesday has come as a relief to members.
“We are really grateful to the government for the capital injection, and we hope that the money will be used wisely so that we can get better services from PSMAS,” a member said.
Another noted, “I came here because I wanted to get medication, but as you can see, it’s closed. So, I hope with this money this PSMAS clinic will reopen.”
“They should make sure that their priorities are correct. Workers should be paid, doctors should be paid so that we get services. Above all drugs should be accessible in all PSMAS pharmacies,” added another.
In a statement released this Tuesday, Public Service Commission (PSC) Secretary, Dr Rosemary Tsitsi Choruma said the injection of the funds will enable the restoration of operations at the embattled medical insurance group.
Most PSMAS medical facilities across the country had closed in the past weeks with the recent capital injection expected to resuscitate operations.
Vice President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, confirmed in parliament last week that a forensic audit into the society’s financial status is underway with the government keen on finding a lasting solution to the society’s challenges.
