Chronicle Editor
PREMIER Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) has reopened its hospitals and other facilities in the capital
after months of closure, much to the relief of its members who were paying subscriptions without getting services.
The closure of the hospitals and other facilities was a result of cash flow challenges, which the society experienced, which led workers to down tools due to unpaid salaries.
PSMAS, which was formed by civil servants, runs a medical insurance scheme for Government workers and has other health-related subsidiaries.
It runs clinics and hospitals around the country under the Premier Service Medical Investments (PSMI) and has a membership of nearly one million, mostly Government workers.
The Government has since said it will take several steps to revive PSMAS including paying all its debts and ensuring individuals found guilty of looting the health insurer are jailed.
PSMAS executives including chief executive officer Farai Muchena and board member Cecilia Alexander, who is also a civil servants representative, appeared in court last week for allegedly squandering US$702 386 meant for drug purchases.
It was, however, not clear whether the re-opening of PSMI hospitals was linked to the Government bailout announced on Tuesday.
A visit by New Ziana to Westend and Prestige hospitals as well as the Fife Avenue Covid-19 stabilisation centre in the capital showed that the facilities had re-opened with patients beginning to trickle in for treatment.
“We are happy to be back at work after closing for two months. We opened on May 2, 2023 but we are however not serving patients because there is a problem with water supply,” said a worker at the Covid-19 centre.
At Prestige, patients were still few while at Westend the number of patients coming in and going out was rising.
“As you can see, we are open. We are just waiting for patients who need our services. One should bring a PSMAS medical aid card and identity document then we serve you,” said one of the officials manning the
inquiries desk at Westend Hospital.
-New Ziana
Online Reporter