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Nyemudzai Kakore Harare Bureau
Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) members have gone for more than three weeks without accessing life saving drugs and other important drugs for other chronic conditions.A snap survey by our Harare Bureau showed that all PSMAS pharmacies in the city had run out of essential drug supplies.
Drugs which were in short supply included anti- retrovirals, antibiotics, painkillers, insulin and other essential drugs for heart and diabetic ailments.
“I have a prescription for antibiotics but I could not get them here because they are out of stock,” said a cardiac patient at a PSMAS pharmacy in the city.
“I now have to run around and look for some money so that I can buy at other private pharmacies.”
“I came here in the morning only to be turned away. How can PSMAS run out of drugs and yet we are paying our subscriptions,” fumed Watyoka of Highfield.
“PSMAS is killing us and we are not happy about this. The government must intervene as a matter of urgency to save lives.”
PSMAS pharmacists said they were having stock challenges and were advising patients to use their money to buy drugs and make claims later.
Patients complained that prices for drugs at other private pharmacies were beyond their reach.
PSMAS members were being denied drugs at other pharmacies because PSMAS was failing to pay these pharmacies.
When contacted for comment, acting PSMAS chief executive Dr Farai Muchena said: “There are some shortages of drugs but not to the extent of not having antibiotics.
“I am not aware of the shortage of critical drugs you mentioned but drugs can be out of stock and will be restocking the required drugs soon.
“Not all pharmacies are contracted to supply drugs to our members and this is why some were failing to access drugs at other private pharmacies.”
Psmas was staggering under the weight of a corruption scandal, huge debts and bad management which had forced it to lose business and fail to meet its obligation to service the needs of its members.
Online Reporter