Online Reporter
Post Reporter
FOR a mother in a rural community, healthcare is not a statistic.
It is the reassurance of having a sick child seen by a health professional. It is the relief of accessing care without travelling for hours. It is the hope of knowing that someone cares.
This was the human story in Mutasa District as NetOne, through its NetOne @30 Medical Outreach Initiative, brought healthcare services closer to communities as part of its Health and Care Pillar.
Implemented in partnership with ZimSmart Villages, the outreach forms part of a nationwide initiative targeting 30 districts and approximately 90 000 households, with an anticipated 3 000 households reached in each district.
The programme was graced by Defence Minister, Honourable Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, and attended by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, who commended NetOne for placing communities at the centre of its 30th Anniversary celebrations.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said initiatives that bring essential services closer to communities complement the country’s development aspirations.
“As we pursue the aspirations of Vision 2030 and implement the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), we must continue to harness innovation, technology and partnerships to improve the quality of life of our people. Healthcare is fundamental to development because healthy communities are better positioned to participate meaningfully in the social and economic development of our country,” said Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri.
She commended the collaboration between the Government, private sector and development partners in supporting communities and advancing national development.
Speaking on behalf of NetOne, Public Relations Manager, Mr Ernest Magadzire, said the company wanted its 30th Anniversary to demonstrate that connectivity could have a much deeper meaning.
“For 30 years, NetOne has connected Zimbabweans. As we celebrate this milestone, we want connectivity to mean more than communication. We want it to connect people to healthcare, information, opportunity and essential services, especially in communities that need them most.”
He said the Mutasa outreach reflected NetOne’s determination to ensure that the benefits of development reach communities across Zimbabwe.
“When a mother can access healthcare closer to home, when a child receives care, when a family receives information that can protect their health — that is connectivity making a difference. That is what we mean when we say we want to go beyond connectivity.”
For ZimSmart Villages Chief Operations Officer, Mr Tawanda Njerere, the initiative demonstrates how technology can help overcome geographical barriers to healthcare.
“Technology only becomes meaningful when it solves a real problem for people. Through our collaboration with NetOne, we are using connectivity as a bridge between rural communities and healthcare professionals, helping bring healthcare closer to the people,” he said.
The partnership is also supporting the broader use of telemedicine and digital-health solutions, enabling communities to access healthcare services while reducing the burden created by distance.
