By A Correspondent- The Premier Services Medical Investment (PSMI) on Friday last week adopted a co-payment system where every member of PSMAS is required to pay US$5 or ZWL$1 050 before receiving treatment or services.

PSMI is the largest private health care services provider in the country and it operates hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and labs.

The company serves at least 90 per cent of Zimbabwe’s civil servants, who are members of the Premier Services Medical Aid Society (PSMAS).

Workers are unhappy with the adoption of the co-payment system by PSMI as they believe the move is aimed at increasing management perks.

Part of a letter addressed to the PSMAS board chair Jeremiah Bvirindi by the medical professional and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe on Monday, read:

This is very unfair to members, particularly Government employees who had always been paying their monthly contributions without anything in return.

Workers are of the view that the money being charged as co-payments is meant for nothing other than boosting management pockets.

But responding to emailed questions from The Herald, Premier Service Holding Company (PSHC) public relations, communications and brand manager Arthur Choga defended the recent introduction of a co-payment. He said:

Subscriptions on the medical aid side continue to track the official rate while costs are being incurred based on parallel market rates, making it difficult for PSMI to meet obligations as they fall due.

Given these pressures and the target market’s inability to afford market-related subscriptions, PSMI, therefore, introduced co-payments to assist in meeting operating expenses.

Premier Services Medical Investment (Pvt) Ltd is a division of Premier Services Holding Company.