STAFF WRITER
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare last week inaugurated the public service medical aid scheme (psemas) governance committee.
The move sets in motion the government’s plan to have the scheme managed and administered under the Social Security Commission (SSC).
Psemas is a state-owned medical aid scheme for Namibian public servants. It covers healthcare costs and provides access to private medical services. The scheme is funded through contributions from both government and employees.
The newly established governance committee will provide strategic leadership and oversee the administration of the scheme. Its mandate includes policy formulation and coordinating reform measures aimed at ensuring cost sustainability, value for money and quality healthcare for members.
Speaking at the launch, which was attended by registered unions, Ngurare said the process follows Cabinet approval to reform psemas and implement recommendations from a review workshop held with recognised trade unions.
He said the government began implementing the recommended reforms last year.
“Approved recommendations include amongst others: alignment of all psemas reform initiatives to a new policy directive by Her Excellency, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the President of our Republic. Senior government officials should utilise state health facilities,” Ngurare said.
The Prime Minister said the inauguration is meant to improve efficiency, accountability and transparency in the management of the scheme.
It comes as the SSC prepares to manage the scheme, which carries contributions worth billions of dollars from civil servants.
Namibia Business Review reported last month that the SSC has received Cabinet approval to manage a national health medical fund. The fund is expected to leverage psemas contributions to capitalise health infrastructure development and improve service delivery at state health facilities to levels comparable with private institutions.
Ngurare said the move aligns with the government’s broader objective of universal health coverage (UHC), aimed at providing non-discriminatory access to quality healthcare for all citizens regardless of their socio-economic status.
“Under UHC mechanisation, the government commits to improving public health facilities, maintaining adequate health personnel staff complement and providing excellent patient care. This informs the enhancement of the psemas governance framework to ensure the sustainability of the scheme by embracing modern and world best practices in medical aid administration,” he said.
Ngurare said the previous psemas governance model had limited expertise in key areas, which contributed to weak oversight, delayed decision-making, poor compliance enforcement, inefficient operations, lack of accountability and communication gaps.
Members of the newly inaugurated committee include executive director in the Office of the Prime Minister Gladice Pickering, executive director of the Ministry of Finance Oscar Capelao, Namibia Public Workers Union secretary general Peter Nevaonga, Namibia National Teachers Union secretary general Loide Shaanika, Social Security Commission chief executive officer Milka Mungunda, Namfisa general manager Eric Gariseb and Josef Pieters, who will serve as national chairperson.
“These members are drawn from government agencies, organisations representing members of the scheme and regulators of medical aid and health profession industries. Pursuant to these nominations, I accordingly appointed nominated candidates as members and alternate members of the psemas governance committee. The committee will report to the Cabinet Committee on Public Service under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister,” Ngurare said.
Alternate members of the committee are Tuyakula Haipinge, Justus Mwafongwe, Joyce Shatilwe, Linda Nangombe, Deon van Zyl, Veronica Christians, Uanjengua Hoveka and L’oreal Tjiueza.
COMMENTS