Namibian editorial calls for Psemas inquiry to be published
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Namibian
An editorial in The Namibian calls for the publication of a 2021 investigation into potentially abusive medical billing under Namibia’s Psemas scheme. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare recently mentioned a possible overbilling scheme involving doctors and scheme officials, while the editorial says reimbursements are not enough to close the matter.
In an editorial published by The Namibian, the newspaper calls for the publication of the forensic investigation report into Psemas, the health insurance scheme for civil servants. The investigation, completed in 2021 according to the Finance Ministry, identified 84 doctors whose reimbursement claims showed irregularities.
The newspaper quotes Namibian Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, who suspects that doctors and people linked to Psemas colluded to overcharge the state. He said that 4 billion Namibian dollars had been spent on the scheme and promised a response to the concerns raised. The Namibian says contributors should be able to consult the report and calls for those involved to be reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission and the prosecutor general.
The editorial recalls that at least 13 million Namibian dollars had been repaid in 2021 by some doctors, while former president Hage Geingob had also mentioned abuses committed by members and their dependants. The week before the editorial was published, Finance Minister Ericah Shafudah asked Parliament for an additional 535 million Namibian dollars for Psemas. She said the first phase of the reform was complete and that the current model was not financially sustainable.
