daniel chigunwe
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
Bulawayo Bureau
THE Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) has partnered with the Government in fostering the prevention of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases through training capacity-building programmes targeting church leaders.
ACCZ is composed of over 660 indigenous Apostolic, Pentecostal, and Zionist churches keen to mobilise local churches and work closely with the Government in addressing a diversity of societal challenges.
It is a trust registered in terms of Zimbabwe laws, number MA578/24, and has three pillars as founding principles — health, training, and livelihoods aimed at contributing to the attainment of Vision 2030.
Last month ACCZ signed MoUs with seven partners, which has seen 15 bishops trained as diabetes health ambassadors and these will work with local clinics in carrying out awareness campaigns to both church members and communities.
In an interview during their leadership and livelihoods training certification event in Gwanda on Sunday, the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association (ZDA) vice president, Bishop Dr Jeremiah Matenhese, said the involvement of church leaders will help to close the gap between religion and science.
“As ZDA our main agenda is to preach prevention of non-communicable diseases, diabetes in particular. We have discovered that a lot of people are suffering as a result of ignorance and so many of them are within the church,” he said. “The best thing is to bring the church on board to ensure that leaders are equipped with the necessary information for the welfare of their congregants.
“We have started a training process facilitated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We have run another bishop’s training workshop in Masvingo. Bishops are being trained to understand what diabetes it, its causes and how it is managed. They are also being trained on how to test BP, blood sugar, and other basic processes. They will practice this in their areas of jurisdiction with reference to local clinics,” he said.
Dr Matenhese said bishops will not only pray for congregants but will monitor their condition and when there are complications they will refer them to health centres.
ACCZ president Archbishop Dr Tobias Zunguzira commended the Government under the Second Republic for creating an enabling stable socio-economic environment, which has seen churches play a pivotal role in peacebuilding, development, and economic emancipation.
“It’s important for churches and health institutions to work together because this reduces the workload on Government. As churches we have a wider reach within communities and some people who come to the churches don’t go to health institutions,” he said
“As ACCZ, we saw it prudent to work with the Ministry of Health in this fight to prevent diseases. It’s important for people to visit health facilities because there are some diseases such as sugar diabetes and HIV, which need the attention of medical experts.”
Dr Zunguzira said the Matabeleland South training was part of efforts by the council to support President Mnangagwa’s mantra- of “leaving no one or no place behind”.
Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, commended the church for its significant contribution to the attainment of Vision 2030.
“Since 2019, the new dispensation is leading in the drive to achieve Upper Middle-Class Income by 2030 and our philosophy is ‘leaving no one and no place behind.’
“I would like to applaud the Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe, fronted by Archbishop Dr Zunguzira for supporting NDS1 and Vision 2030,” she said.
“Training and empowering church members with livelihood skills is the source of employment to our youths, which all dovetails with the Second Republic’s vision.”
Dr Ndlovu urged the participants to use the skills they have obtained to start business ventures either as individuals or in groups.
Online Reporter