PSMI worker commits suicide due to poverty, company mistreatment

A loss control supervisor at the Premier Service Medical Investments (Pvt) Ltd (PSMI) reportedly committed suicide due to the poverty that was worsened by their mistreatment by the company.

PSMI is an investment arm of the embattled Public Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS). PSMI has 153 clinics across the country and have since been closed after workers downed tools citing incapacitation.

Addressing journalists at Parkview Hospital, Munyaradzi Nharaunda, the chairman of the PSMI workers’ committee said one of their employees based in Bulawayo took his own life due to pressure.

“Our loss control supervisor committed suicide due to pressure of not having enough on the table to take care of his family,” he said.

“He had accrued so much debts and the people were now demanding their money. PSMI failed to give him his money and and he ended up choosing death.”

Incapacitation at PSMI hospitals is happening despite the fact that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who doubles as the Minister of Health, in November last year, assured the nation that things would be better at the public workers’ hospitals as he promised government funding and curtailing of corruption.

“I believe as I am speaking, this august House should be aware that things were not in order at PSMAS. We were not going to allow corruption to continue, so the PSMAS board was dissolved. As I am speaking, we are enacting an interim board.

“I know that this has brought challenges to civil servants and other members of PSMAS but we are working on resolving that issue. Right now there is a forensic audit that is being carried out and this issue is being investigated fully by the regulatory authority,” Chiwenga said.

He went on to dissolve the embattled PSMAS board citing massive corruption. An internal audit was also instituted leading to top PSMAS bosses being arrested.

West End in Harare, Shashi in Bindura and Clay Bank Clinic in Gweru among 150 other health care facilities including pharmacies, radiology, optometry, dental which mainly benefited civil servants on PSMAS cover are closed.