HARARE – A tense exchange erupted in Parliament on Wednesday between the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion over persistent delays in funding for the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS), leaving civil servants without timely access to healthcare services.
The issue was brought to the floor by opposition Citizens Coalition for Change MP Tendeukai Matara, who expressed frustration over the lack of progress despite earlier assurances from the Minister of Health and Child Care.
Matara highlighted that a month had passed since a promise to address the PSMAS subscriber issues, particularly for civil servants, yet subscribers were still struggling to receive support from service providers.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Sleiman Kwidini, responded by explaining that while a deadline had been established for PSMAS, its effectiveness depended on service providers accepting the arrangements.
Kwidini reiterated that PSMAS funding comprises 20% from subscriptions and 80% from the Treasury, with funds needing to be allocated to the Treasury before being directed to PSMAS for timely payments to service providers.
However, Kwidini stated that the Ministry of Health could not provide a specific timeframe, as the release of funds falls under the purview of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.
“The contributions are taken to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.
“Perhaps, the Ministry can respond on our behalf because they are the ones responsible for the release of funds to the service providers so that the service providers can continue helping.
“Maybe, the Ministry of Finance can give us that timeframe when they will release the money, but as for us, we are trying to liaise with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion so that we can correct this,” Kwidini stated.
This response prompted a supplementary question from Matara, who stressed the urgency of the matter, citing that “no one applies to get sick” and civil servants are forced to pay cash for medical services due to the ongoing delays.
Matara pressed for a concrete timeframe for rectifying the problem.
The exchange escalated when Mbizo legislator Corban Madzivanyika questioned whether the government had failed in its responsibility to ensure the proper use of contributed funds, given the Ministry of Health’s deferral to the Ministry of Finance.
When given the floor, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube stated he was “not aware of the request” for which money had to be released, implying a lack of formal communication or processing of the funding request from the Ministry of Health.
“As you know, our systems are such that if you need to draw down from the Treasury, you have to make a proper request. I am not aware of the request that he is referring to, for which the money has to be released,” Ncube stated.
The Speaker intervened, encouraging direct conversation between the two ministries to resolve the impasse.
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