ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER 2017 DRINKING WATER IS GOOD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CIMAS CARES

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1 ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER 2017 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DRINKING WATER IS GOOD CIMAS CARES

2 From the Editor s Desk October is cancer month, a time when we commemorate lives lost to the ravaging disease and those who won some of the dreadful battles linked to it. It is important that as members we keep reminding each other of the importance of good eating habits and exercise so that we can reduce the risk of cancer and, in some instances, lessen its impact. In this edition we talk about breast cancer and its impact on lives. Cimas continues to pursue innovative solutions to avert the impact of chronic conditions on its membership and reduce the burden of cancers on members. Watch out for more exciting events from our website as we commemorate breast cancer month. Since it is now summer we also give tips on the importance of drinking sufficient water during this period. We value your feedback. You can forward your comments and queries to: publicrelations@cimas.co.zw, Cimas connect, , Alternatively you can call us on (04) Breast Cancer Month Let s paint the nation PINK in October T he month of October is considered Breast Cancer Month worldwide. It is the month in which Cimas joins the world in commemorating breast cancer survivors who have defied all odds by taking responsibility for their own health so that their breast cancer could be detected and treated early. Many of these women are now on the road to recovery. During this month we encourage individuals to wear pink clothes and/or ribbons as a symbol of their awareness of breast cancer. There is a general misconception that the month of October is Cancer Month. This is not true. October is Breast Cancer Month. We believe that, despite having specific months, days and colors for commemorating different types of cancer, every month is a cancer month and every day is cancer day. Thus, we need to take responsibility for our own health on a daily basis, by ensuring that we are not putting ourselves at risk of developing cancer and by supporting those diagnosed with cancer. P Practise what you know. For example do physical activities and monthly breast selfexamination. Avoid obesity and tobacco use/ smoking. Eat healthily and reduce alcohol intake. I Investigate cancer Information. Find out the facts and distinguish facts from myths and misconceptions about the cancer itself and the available treatment options and coping mechanisms. Know what has been proved to work. N- Normal for you. You should know what is normal for you regarding your body and your breasts, such as the texture and shape of your breasts, so that you easily notice abnormalities early to promote early detection of breast cancer. The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe s 2017 theme, which is We Will Triumph Over Breast Cancer, encourages the nation to find out more about breast cancer so as to counteract the current widespread cancer myths and misconceptions and the stigma and discrimination often suffered by victims of cancer. It is only through united efforts that we will be able to triumph over breast cancer in Zimbabwe. Cimas encourages those diagnosed with breast cancer to keep on fighting and not lose hope, despite the challenges. There are ways to prevent cancer. Cimas has taken the initiative, through its igo wellness programme, in supporting lifestyle modification activities such as healthy eating and exercise. Members can also access breast cancer treatment information on the back of their cards. Cancer knows no gender and has no age barrier. For those who want to know more about accessing treatment and their treatment options, please visit any of our offices for more information. The information in this article has been provided by the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe together with Cimas. Be P.I.N.K and help fight breast cancer K Knowledge. Know the truth about cancer so that you can make informed decisions early, before the cancer spreads. Feel free to ask health practitioners about your condition so that you can control and manage your treatment plan. Even those without cancer need to know the truth about cancer so that they have an insight into how best they can prevent cancer and assist those diagnosed with cancer. (Cancer clients, more often than not, require family and community support to cope with their condition.) Knowledge also helps to reduce stigma and discrimination by dispelling myths and misconceptions about cancer. ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER

3 Q: Is there a limit to the number of prescriptions that can be paid for through the online drug purchase facility? A: Yes. The online drug purchase facility covers one prescription per month per member up to a maximum of three acute medications. Members accessing chronic medication are able to access up to five drugs per month. Drugs in excess of these limits will require pre-authorisation or they can be purchased for cash and a claim be submitted for a refund of the cost. Members who wish to access more than five chronic medications using the card should register on the Society s chronic drug register. They will then be exempted from the above limits. Q: How is the One Time PIN used for the online drug purchase? A: Before you can use the online drug purchase facility, you need to make sure that your mobile phone number and those of your dependants are registered with the Society. It is also imperative to register your chronic conditions with Cimas. The PIN will be sent to the registered phone number when you are purchasing drugs from a pharmacy that has the online drug purchase facility. Q: Is it possible for a member of Cimas to purchase drugs from a pharmacy without paying the pharmacist for the medication? A: It is possible for a Cimas member to purchase drugs without having to make payment to the pharmacist, if the purchase is made from a pharmacy that is on Cimas s upgraded online drug facility system. Cimas has partnered pharmacies on our Preferred Partnership Network (PPN) that are dispensing drugs to members using the Drug Online system. However, due to the drug shortages currently prevailing in the country, pharmacies may charge different prices. As a result, members may sometimes be asked to make additional payments. Members are therefore encouraged to compare prices with those of other pharmacies when they are asked to pay a shortfall. Q: What does a member need to take to the pharmacy in order to purchase drugs that can be paid for through the Cimas online drug payment facility? A: There are five items needed. These are: Valid prescription Valid Membership Card National Identity Card Registered cellphone Preauthorisation from Cimas if a member is accessing a second prescription in the same month or has exceeded the limit for the number of drugs that can normally be purchased through the online drug payment system. Q: In what way is the online drug purchase facility different from the previous facility? A: The facility has security features that include the use of a One Time PIN (OTP), which is sent to the principal member s cellphone and the cellphones of his or her adult dependants. This PIN is needed to close the purchase. When you seek to purchase drugs from one of the pharmacies on the Cimas online system, you give the pharmacist the prescription and your Cimas card. The pharmacist will log onto the online system and enter your membership number. A One Time PIN will automatically be sent to your cellphone number. The pharmacist will enter the drugs that are being purchased on prescription and their cost. To complete the transaction, you give the pharmacist your One Time PIN so he/ she can enter it to close the transaction. The PIN is only valid for 10 minutes. If there is a delay in receiving a One Time PIN the pharmacy can get in touch with our call centre for assistance. Q: How is pre-authorisation requested? A: The request can be made by or via WhatsApp. Members with access to internet can scan and their scripts through the various platforms that are available. These platforms are available for the authorisation of various treatment types such as dental, drugs, pathology, radiology and optical.the addresses are as follows: dental@cimas.co.zw, drugs@cimas.co.zw, optical@ cimas.co.zw, radiology@cimas.co.zw and pathology@cimas.co.zw. For WhatsApp pre-authorisation members are advised to take clear photos of their documents with their smartphones clearly showing patient details, which include member name, membership number, suffix and all the relevant drug or dental information, and send the image to the number ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER

4 DRINKING WATER IS GOOD. HERE IS THE REASON WHY IT PROVIDES MORE ENERGY WITH HEADACHES PREVENTION IT ENERGISES THE MUSCLES IT GIVES YOU A BETTER MOOD THE SKIN TO LOOK GOOD MAINTAIN A HEALTHY HEART WITH BETTER DIGESTION CONTROL CALORIES YOUR KIDNEYS MAINTAIN THE BALANCE OF BODY FLUIDS ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER

5 CIMAS CARES Hi I have once again received a huge from Cimas. This is the newsletter, which is mainly unwanted pictures. As it is so large, it blocked all my other incoming s and I was unable to download it until I brought my computer to town. Where we live the signal is poor and I cannot receive anything other than text. Please would you remove the above address from your newsletter or why not have a text only version? The information is useful and important. The excess pictures are just annoying. (For example - why would I have any interest in the underneath of someone s shoes?) Many thanks Wendy Frederiksen CIMAS RESPONSE Dear Wendy, Thank you for the feedback. We value your contribution. We understand your frustration. We try to make our newsletter interesting and appealing to members. Pictures generally enhance the appearance of a newsletter and break up the monotony of pure text. While we sympathise with your predicament, since you do not have easy internet access, many members these days do have access to high speed internet and might find a text only newsletter less interesting than one where the text is accompanied by pictures. However, we have heeded your call to make the publication smaller and have tried to reduce the size of this newsletter through the use of fewer visuals. Please let us know whether this has made it easier for you to download the newsletter. If it has not, then we will look into the possibility of removing you from our newsletter mailing list and ing to you and to anyone else with similar problems a text only version. Better still we may have to mail you a hard copy for your enjoyment. ISSUE NO. 11 OCTOBER