Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Recently in Nyanga
For decades, the mountainous terrain of Nyanga has been both a blessing and a curse.
Its cool air and lush forests have made the district one of Zimbabwe’s most scenic tourist destinations, yet for the rural communities that live deep within the valleys, those same mountains have long meant one thing: distance.
The journey to the nearest health facility at Nyafaro, more than 15km away from Dazi village, is more than just a stretch of road. It is a punishing path of steep climbs and treacherous descents, one that mothers carrying infants for routine immunisations, schoolchildren needing medical attention, and villagers seeking treatment for chronic conditions were forced to endure for years.
For those seeking specialist services and pregnant women going into labour, Nyanga District Hospital, nearly 30km away, was the only option. It meant they had to fund the associated transport costs out of their pockets.
Today, that long trek to the clinic has become a story of the past. Through the government’s programme to establish health posts across hard-to-reach rural communities, Dazi Health post has brought health services closer to them.
It is one of several such facilities being rolled out nationwide as part of Zimbabwe’s broader push to strengthen primary health care and ensure no one is left behind in the march toward Vision 2030.
Set up in 2023, the health post at Dazi has become a hub of basic healthcare services for hundreds of villagers scattered across the area. For many, it represents the first time that health has truly come closer to home.
Mrs Tsitsi Chekete, who worked as a village health worker before becoming a general hand at the clinic, has witnessed first-hand how the facility has changed lives.
“We see a lot of patients here, from children who need their immunisations to pregnant women who attend antenatal classes before going to Nyanga District Hospital for delivery. We are not yet equipped for deliveries except in emergencies, but this health post has eased so much pressure for families who used to walk or hire transport just for routine services,” she said.
Mrs Chekete said the facility was also catering for chronic conditions like HIV and hypertension, while treating common ailments linked to the district’s climate.
Environmental health technician Ms Shamiso Jekete highlighted that the clinic’s work goes beyond immunisations. It has become central in managing health issues unique to the area.
“This area is very cold, so the diseases we see mostly are illnesses like coughs, flu, pneumonia, and diarrhoea, among others. Because of the sawmills around here, we also deal with injuries from the logging industry. Part of our work is encouraging villagers to stay warm and take precautions.”
Such preventive health education, once scarce in Dazi, is now part of everyday life. The ripple effect of the health post has also been felt in other areas, particularly at Dazi Primary School, located just next door.
Headmaster Mr Manuel Nyamutandikwa said the clinic had been a blessing for both learners and teachers.
“Our teachers and learners no longer have to travel long distances to get treatment for minor ailments. We even get the necessary health services when we host our sports events, which has helped the school a lot. Personally, after I had two operations in Mutare, I was nursed back to health here so we are thankful for this facility,” he said.
For villagers like Mr Admire Mandipe, the health post has meant avoiding the devastating choice between seeking treatment and staying home.
“This clinic came at an opportune time. At times, we didn’t have money to travel to Nyanga Hospital, so many people would just stay at home or seek alternative solutions. Now we can rush here and get treatment on time,” he said.
Ms Elizabeth Hakurekwi another villager said the health facility had become a lifesaver for mothers who had to travel the long distances nearly every month after giving birth.
“Before this clinic, we had to travel to Nyafaro with our children for immunisations. It was a difficult journey. Now the services are close by, we no longer miss any of the important visits to the clinic. We just hope the clinic will get electricity and equipment so that they can start doing deliveries, which would make life even easier for pregnant women,” she said.
Gogo Fortunate Kanyongo, who recently sought treatment for her sick child, said: “This clinic is helping us since it was established. In the past, it was costly and tiring to travel to Nyafaro. Now we can get all these services here.”
The Dazi health post is not an isolated story. It is part of a broader government strategy to strengthen primary healthcare under the National Health Strategy 2021–2025, which prioritises building new health posts, upgrading rural clinics and improving cold chain systems to ensure immunisation services reach every child, even in the remotest corners of the country.
Zimbabwe currently has over 1 600 clinics and rural health centres, the majority in rural areas. Yet, thousands of families still live far from the nearest facility, a challenge the Government is addressing through the establishment of health posts like Dazi.
The facilities are key to reducing preventable illnesses and deaths by catching health problems early. They also relieve the pressure on district hospitals, which can then focus more resources on specialised care.
These aspirations align with the government’s broader Vision 2030 goals of universal health coverage, where distance and poverty will no longer be barriers to care.
For the villagers of Dazi, the message is clear: health is no longer a distant service beyond the mountains, but something within reach.
