Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) cardholders are now able to access medical services at various hospitals and clinics following government intervention. As a result, 98 out of 121 PSMAS health facilities across the country are now offering full medical services, allowing the medical aid society to focus on providing health services to its clients, ZBC News reported.
The government intervened in May and took over PSMAS debts, providing a cash injection that led to the reopening of health facilities across the country. PSMAS has resolved to no longer collect co-payments from members beginning July 1st, to ensure universal access to healthcare services.
Premier Services Medical Investments -Executive Director for Health Services Dr Margaret Maulana said plans are already underway to upgrade the services offered in line with the government’s goal of ensuring universal access to healthcare services. Maulana said:
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.
If PSMAS, the largest health insurance in Zimbabwe, resumes normal operations and provides healthcare services to Zimbabweans it will be contributing towards the attainment of goals and objectives stated in the country’s National Health Strategy. The government has also provided over US$40,000 to restock pharmacies, which are said to have improved the availability of drugs.