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Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
GANDAWASVIKA and Mpata clinics constructed by Makonde Rural District Council using its share of devolution funds are now ready for commissioning.
The two facilities increase access to healthcare service delivery to marginalised communities in the district, while significantly reducing the distance walked by the villagers to get medical attention.
They will also address maternity related deaths that the district has been battling with due to shortage of primary care facilities.
Speaking to The Herald, the rural district’s chief executive officer assistant, Mr Norman Musora, confirmed that the two clinics which were ready to offer service, would be commissioned soon.
“Gandawasvika Clinic is currently operational although it is yet to be commissioned,” he said. “We are polishing up some issues to fully operate like installing a separate electricity meter from the community.”
As for Mpata Clinic, Mr Musora said council was done with the required works and had since “written to the Ministry of Health and Child Care requesting for staff”.
“An initial response from the Ministry of Health and Child Care was for some minor changes to the sizes of windows for the staff quarters which council rectified in August,” he said. “Since then, we have been awaiting deployment of nursing staff.”
The fully-equipped clinics in Wards 13 and 11 have been affected by an acute shortage of nursing staff.
“We are made to understand that there is an acute shortage of nurses in Government which has also seen some clinics in the district being manned by one nurse,” said Mr Musora.
Makonde district medical officer, Dr Paradzai Mudzengerere, said while they were waiting for more staff, Gandawasvika Clinic was operating with one midwife and a nurse aid.
He said the district was hit by a severe staff shortage of nursing staff as many left for private medical facilities or migrated out of the country.
Villagers from the two wards pleaded with Government for nurses to be deployed to the two centres for health service delivery to be improved.
Online Reporter