By Peter Matambanadzo recently in HWANGE

ONE hundred and thirty underprivileged children in Matabeleland North Province will benefit from a donation of cash, stationery and furniture worth $92 million from the Premier Service Medical Aid Society.

The donation — as part of the society’s social responsibility programme — seeks to improve the learning conditions and lives of needy people in rural schools.


Matabeleland North Governor and Resident Minister Cde Thokozile Mathuthu commended PSMAS for its donation and urged other medical aid societies to follow suit.

The ceremony was attended by Matabeleland North provincial education director Mrs Boithatelo Mnguni, Hwange Rural district administrator Mr Lot Mumpunde, Ward 3 councillor Mr Aleck Nyoni and other senior Government officials.

PSMAS group chief executive Mr Cuthbert Dube said his organisation was committed to complementing Government efforts to improve learning conditions for pupils in rural areas.

“PSMAS is a people-oriented organisation and we strive to be identified with the people of various social and economic persuasions.

“We have the interests of the needy members of our society at heart.

“That is why we are seeking to fulfil our social responsibility programme by giving back to the community such as Hwange,” Mr Dube said.

He said his organisation prioritised children because they were tomorrow’s leaders.

“As a society, our first priority is on children because they are our future leaders but we also care about other disadvantaged members of society,” he said.

This donation is the second in as many weeks, following a similar one to Chirumhanzu.

Mr Dube urged the Government to take stringent measures against profiteering and unpatriotic drug suppliers who were ripping off people and compromising the country’s health delivery system.

“As PSMAS, we are fully aware health costs, particularly drugs and hospital fees, are now beyond the reach of the majority of our people and we urge Government to take whatever appropriate action available to make sure that this is stopped forthwith,” he said.

He said PSMAS, which is also one of Africa’s leading medical aid service providers, operates schemes that are still affordable to allow the majority easy access to health care.

PSMAS operates medical aid schemes in Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi.

Mr Dube said about 40 percent of the civil service, among them teachers and nurses, did not have any medical cover while other Government personnel were still subscribing to more expensive medical societies.

He said PSMAS was striving to take health care services to even the remotest parts of the country.