Premier Service Medical Aid Society

Premier Service Medical Aid Society
	PSMAS logo
Trading name	Premier Service Medical Aid Society
Type	Government
Industry	Health Services
Founded	1930
Headquarters	47 George Silundika Avenue Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
Website	www.psmas.co.zw/PSMAS_Our_Branches.php
	Footnotes / references; Office Hours ; Mon - Fri 0800 hrs - 1530 hrs ; Sat 0800 hrs - 1130 hrs ; Sun & Public Holidays CLOSED; Contact Number Tel: 263-4-705186/8, 702153/4, 793186/7, 791816, 791822, 798122, 706336.

Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) is the largest and most experienced health service provider and medical society in Zimbabwe.

See List of Hospitals in Zimbabwe.

Founding and History

It began operations in 1930 after a directive from the Public Service Association. In November the same year members started to be recruited. Its membership has risen from 250 in 1931 to over 40 000 in the 1990s. Membership in May 2013 was 794 000. ^[1] Running under the motto 'we value your health', the medical aid offers plans and benefits to civil servants, students and the private sector.

Branches

The society has over 11 branches in all major towns and cities around the country.

Events

PSMAS Mega Salaries scandal

In January 2014 Cuthbert Dube who had been at the helm of the organization since 1992 and the former board chairperson Meisie Makelesto were fired following revelations that Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) top management was getting at least US $1 million in basic monthly salaries. The exposure incited the ire of civil servants who were not getting proper treatment from the service provider. The expose came at a time when PSMAS was failing to pay US $38 million in services provided to its members. ^[2] Dr Dube alone was paying himself US $230 000 per month.

Dube Lawsuit Against PSMAS

Following his dismissal from the organisation, Dube sued his former employer. Dube in April 2015 won a $3 million arbitral award against the embattled medical aid society and sought to have it registered as a court order at the High Court, arguing he was still entitled to his monthly salary and benefits backdated to January 2014. Through his lawyer Jonathan Samukange, Dube filed the two applications under case number HC3461/15 against Premier Service Medical Investment (PSMI) for $2 070 000 and case number HC3462/15 against PSMAS for $1 380 000, bringing his total claims to $3 450 000. ^[3] However, after the judgement, PSMAS was still in a defensive position hoping to reverse the judgement.

2023 Unpaid Salaries

Due to financial constraints, workers withdrew their labour over unpaid wages, causing Premier Service Medical Investments (PSMI) hospital facilities in Harare to close. In May 2023, they reopened following the government’s intervention. Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS), is the parent company of the troubled health insurer, which runs a medical insurance scheme for government workers and has other health-related subsidiaries, including clinics and hospitals under PSMI, with nearly one million members, mostly government workers.

On 2 May, the government announced it would pay off all PSMAS debts and ensure individuals found guilty of looting the health insurer are jailed. The government has previously rescued PSMAS by releasing ZWL$4 billion to the medical society in November last year. PSMAS experienced financial problems due to mismanagement, corruption, and other issues. Some executives were accused of looting the health insurer, resulting in the company struggling to pay its bills and workers’ salaries. This led to labour strikes and the closure of some hospitals and clinics under its subsidiary, PSMI.

Workers said they were glad to be back at work, but face water supply issues at the COVID-19 Centre. ^[4]