Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
PREMIER Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) cardholders are pleased with the state of affairs at the facility as they can now access medical services at various hospitals and clinics after government intervention.
With 98 out of 121 PSMAS health facilities across the country now offering full medical services, normalcy has returned to the medical aid society which is now focusing on its core business of providing health services to its clients.
In May, the government intervened and took over PSMAS debts and chipped in with a cash injection which resulted in the re-opening of the health facilities countrywide.
“I have used my medical aid card to get treatment here at West End as well as an x-ray and am really grateful to the government for its intervention, now PSMAS is back to its former glory,” said a cardholder.
“I was involved in an accident and have been admitted here for the past 20 days and have been receiving very good treatment from the nurses and the doctors and everything is being covered by my medical aid which is really commendable,” said another.
Premier Services Medical Investments -Executive Director for Health Services Dr Margaret Maulana acknowledged the support they are receiving from the government adding that plans are already in motion to upgrade the services being offered in line with the government’s thrust of ensuring universal access to health care services.
“We have got 121 units across the country and out of those we have currently managed to open 98. The services are from medical clinics, hospitals, radiology units EMRAS units renal units. The society has also since made a decision to make sure that the burden in terms of barrier access to access services is addressed and we have resolved that from the first of July we are no longer going to be collecting co-payments from members.
“We want to acknowledge that whatever happened in the past is regrettable that we could no longer service them whilst they were still contributing as members. In the future, we will make sure this does not happen again. On the part of the government, it made sure that we are uploaded and we are supported from the time we opened on the second of May to date,” she said.
On the pharmaceutical side, the government has availed more than US$40 000 for restocking pharmacies.
“As of today, I can safely say we are in a better position than we were yesterday and the days before. There are a lot of drugs from Natpharm, Pharmalife which came so we are hoping that this is going to be the new normal,” noted Pharmacist, Ms Stella Musanzuru.
The return to normalcy at PSMAS, which is the biggest health insurance in the country with over a million members and in excess of three million dependents has ensured the majority of Zimbabweans continue to access health care services as stipulated in the country’s National Health Strategy of 2021 to 2025.