Mliswa says PSMAS has let him and his 19 children down, Chiwenga says those with many children have to pay more

I want to end by thanking you for coming to this House. There are certain Ministers that had left this august House. When they saw you coming they ran back like little kids showing that they do not respect the Leader of Government Business. I do not know why they have not gone to continue with businesses that they were going to do in their offices. Hon. Ministers, you must be ashamed to see yourselves running like small kids because the Vice President is here. You must be here whether he is here or not. Hon. Ziyambi has been getting a tough time. Today we have just censured Members of the Cabinet and Deputy Ministers who are not coming to Parliament. You must know that Hon Vice President. Ndanyara kuona vanhu vakuru kunge vachadonha pamapinda muno umu.

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. RTD.GENERAL DR. CHIWENGA):  On PSMAS, the issue of PSMAS is now common knowledge to every Zimbabwean that there is a forensic audit which is taking place.  I am happy that Hon. Mliswa said that he has got 19 kids.  If you have got 19 kids and you pay $40 for 19 kids, how do they get treated?  So, these were some of the issues which we are saying if we have got the money, it has to be a maximum.  If you want to have many kids, in fact I want Members to get this right.  Because the population has got to balance, we have got to have children but if you are to have children, you must be able to support them.  The way you support them is, you increase your contributions.  The Government pays 80% and the member only pays 20%. That 20% had become meaningless.  There are so many problems which are currently sub judice, Madam Speaker, if I can be excused on that matter because the issue is under thorough investigation of what was happening.  A lot of things were not going right at PSMAS. 

Having said that, we have said all PSMAS institutions must be opened and we have put medicines.  I have directed the Permanent Secretary and the staff to open all PSMAS institutions which had closed down.  We are putting medicines into those institutions so that our people get attended to.  The issue of what should be done now, it is a matter which we will be discussing with the Ministry of Finance, the regulator and all stakeholders concerned, to say in the meantime, whilst the investigations are going on, we want the services because people will not stop to be sick.  Therefore, they have to be attended to.

Right now the equipment which we are procuring include equipment for surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy equipment, humeral therapy and external beam radiotherapy machines.  These had gone out of service and we had the old machines.  We are ordering but those which had gone out of service, we are getting them repaired so that at any given time, we do not have a machine breaking down and then we do not have a replacement immediately.  I thank you.

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