By Farai Chikore
CHINHOYI – PSMAS medical aid society, one of the country’s leading medical aid
societies, is on a comprehensive wellness outreach programme aimed at promoting
healthy lifestyles among its members and beneficiaries.
They are offering free screenings, lifestyle coaching, nutrition counselling, fitness
classes and stress management.
In an interview with Telegraph at Chinhoyi Prison, Dr Tapiwa Chiworeka PSMAS
Population Health and Wellness programme co-ordinator, said they were committed to
supporting their members and beneficiaries.
“The health and wellness programme that is targeting members and their beneficiaries
country wide, specifically during this week we have been targeting members in
Mashonaland West.
“This is a long standing programme that PSMAS established years back. It’s a
programme aimed to raise awareness on early detection of chronic non-communicable
diseases and promote early treatment and prevention of diseases.
“The programme targets members particularly in the work places. At the moment we are
testing for blood pressure, blood sugar, height, weight and calculating body mass index,
prostate cancer screening for men above the age of 45, and cervical cancer screening
for women above the age of 30
“Those that would have been found to have any lifestyle risk factor, there are key
programmes that we have. Post screening we will enroll the members for support, for
those who have early signs of diseases, we will have early management programmes.
“We also have a wide network of partners where we can refer for early treatment and
management. The programme in Mashonaland West started on Monday, in Kadoma for
two days, Chegutu one day and Chinhoyi two days,” said Dr Chiworeka.
PSMAS reached close to 500 in Mashonaland West for general screening, close to 200
for cervical and prostate cancer screening.
The programme is not for Mashonaland West only but has been conducted in
Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces cumulatively with similar numbers of
close to 600 members.
PSMAS is running this as an on-going programme, where members can benefit by
walking into their various awareness centres in all of their branches.
Wellness programmes are key to disease prevention and care.
New Ziana
