Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

THE National Social Security Authority (NSSA) is working on upgrading its rehabilitation centre next to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo and another in Ruwa to enhance access to medical services for contributing workers.

The NSSA Rehabilitation Centre in Bulawayo was established in 1971 and is the best facility in Sub-Saharan Africa,  according to NSSA general manager Dr Charles Shava.

Speaking in Victoria Falls recently, Dr Shava said NSSA, with a mandate to ensure all workers remain actively contributing to social security, was working on ways to trace about 1.8 million workers who are no longer actively contributing as they have joined the informal sector.

Dr Shava said of the total 3.5 million workers registered with NSSA in the formal sector, only 1.3 million were actively contributing.

“Under our accident and rehabilitation scheme, we have the rehabilitation centre at Mpilo in Bulawayo. It is the best in Sub-Saharan Africa and was established in 1971 to give decent services to workers. It is in Bulawayo because all heavy industries were there and most accidents occurred there.

“All workers who get injured are transported there for free to get occupational therapy, physiotherapy, consultation and support services. We want to decentralise and we have to look at how best we can do that,” said Dr Shava.

He said NSSA, a State entity had partnered with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare in decentralising rehabilitation services.

“We are partnering with the Ministry of Public Service to put Ruwa rehabilitation centre to the level we want it so that workers in the northern side of the country go there. In other areas, we are also negotiating with other centres. These are some of the initiatives that we are pursuing in partnership with stakeholders,” said Dr Shava.

He said challenges such as the state of the economy and limited collections were affecting social security services in the country and NSSA was raising awareness among citizens through various marketing strategies.

Despite the challenges, NSSA is the second best paying social services organisation in Africa region, paying US$60 after collecting 9 percent from a capped percentage of contributing members.

Zambia leads the region collection 10 percent a d paying US$64 per month to pensioners.

Dr Shava said efforts were being made to account for all workers who have joined the informal sector.