Health Reporter
Government has called for a special general meeting at the Premier Service Medical Aid Society on Friday to legitimise its appointment of an interim management committee.
The decision is in line with section 26 of Statutory Instrument (SI) 330 of 2000 of the medical aid societies regulations which empowers Government to call for an urgent annual general meeting for any medical aid society if it proves to be financially unsound.
“He (Secretary for Health and Childcare) shall issue a written direction to the board of the society to convene a special meeting of members presided over by the Secretary or any official of the Ministry appointed in writing by the Secretary at a specific time (not later than thirty days after the issue of the direction)” reads part of the SI.
In a statement yesterday, Health and Child Care Secretary Brigadier-General Dr Gerald Gwinji scheduled the meeting for Friday June 13, 2014 in Harare.
Dr Gwinji said the meeting would deliberate on the proposal of an interim management team appointed by Government a few months ago.
“The purpose of the meeting shall be to vote upon the following proposal: That an interim manager vested with all the powers of the board and the principal officer or independent administrator should be appointed by the members or the Secretary to manage the affairs of the society for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months,” said Dr Gwinji.
Only PSMAS members would be allowed to attend and vote.
Government has since appointed a six-member interim management team chaired by principal director for preventive services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Gibson Mhlanga.
The other members were officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Office of the President and Cabinet, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Civil Service Commission and the Public Service Association.
Once endorsed by the members, the interim team would now be able to discharge its duties legally.
These include instigating the process of a forensic audit, re-looking into the society’s remuneration structure, review the society’s financial position, its constitution and its relationship to Premier Service Medical Investments, among other issues.
PSMAS hit the headlines at the beginning of the year after the media exposed the scandalous salaries management earned.