Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is the Minister of Health and Childcare, said that the ongoing forensic audit at the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) will address all cases of corruption that have crippled the organisation and prejudiced hundreds of thousands of civil servants and pensioners.
The issue of PSMAS was raised by Members of Parliament in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The MPs asked Chiwenga what the government was doing to curb corruption at PSMAS which has seen several of its hospitals and clinics shutting down.
Mkoba MP Amos Chibaya (CCC) pointed out that the closure of PSMAS facilities endangers the lives of members. He said:
It is worrying that civil servants and other would-be beneficiaries are still paying PSMAS but are not getting any joy. PSMAS facilities are closing down and this is endangering people’s lives.
Other lawmakers also gave accounts of the dire situation and urged the government to act.
In response, Chiwenga said the government was aware of the challenges at PSMAS adding a forensic audit was underway and results will be made public soon. He said:
I think by now this august house should know the rot that was at PSMAS.
We could not allow the corruption to proceed and the PSMAS board was dissolved or it dissolved itself. We are putting up an interim board.
We know it has troubled our workers and those who have policies but we are addressing that.
There is a forensic audit underway and the issue is still being dealt with by the regulating authority so we cannot speak on how the situation got there. Money has been abused.
On timelines, I would want this to be done as soon as possible. We will ask the head of PSMAS who is working with our permanent secretary when this will be done.
According to Business Times, civil servants make up most of PSMAS’ 900 000 customers.
However, PSMAS policyholders have been struggling to obtain medical services as hospitals and pharmacies were refusing to honour the membership card, citing non-payment of claims submitted to PSMAS.
In spite of deductions made on their salaries, PSMAS policyholders were required to make payments upfront, often in foreign currency by service providers. | Business Times