Government commissions new model clinic

GOVERNMENT has commissioned a new model rural health centre that is set to serve thousands of people from Kachechete, Jabula, Nemananga and Vulindlela wards in Hwange west.

More than US$410 000 was invested in the construction and equipping of the clinic which is a partnership between Hwange Rural District Council using Devolution Funds and donors mobilised by Buy a Brick for Foundation.

The nearest health facilities were about 15km away in Chisuma and Ndlovu and because of presence of wild animals, some had to go to Jambezi about 30km away.

The idea of a clinic came in 2014 when a Form Two girl at Vulindlela Secondary School, Leona Sibanda was attacked by a lone buffalo which left her with a fractured ankle and injured face and villagers could not immediately get a vehicle to rush her to hospital.

An ambulance charged US$170 for the trip which Ms Sibanda, no aged 26, did not have.

Buy a Brick Foundation who were building a school in the area offered to help with ambulance fees to Victoria Falls and Bulawayo where she was eventually admitted, and started engaging to build a clinic as a permanent solution to the challenge of distance to nearest clinic.

Construction started in 2015 and in 2019 Government availed Devolution Funds through the HRDC to complete the project.

The clinic was christened Leona Clinic in honour of the human-wildlife survivor who now has a three-year-old son.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Matabeleland north Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said the Devolution programmes seeks to empower the local communities by promoting development at local level.

“I am greatly honoured to stand before you to mark the commissioning and handing over of this new and magnificent infrastructure here in Hwange District. Just three days back I was commissioning classrooms at Ndangababi and Makwandara primary schools here in Hwange district.

“All these projects were undertaken by your council using Devolution Funds. I would like to thank the Government of Zimbabwe for implementing the Devolution Agenda which has triggered massive development throughout the country,” said Minister Moyo.

Infrastructure development is one of the pillars of the National Development Strategy 1 and economic growth.

Minister Moyo said two more clinics in Mashala and Nekabandama are at various stages of completion and are funded by Devolution Funds.

Leona Clinic is HRDC’s 10th clinic.

The Minister the opening of this clinic will no doubt significantly reduce the risk of wild animals attack and walking long distances to the clinic and improve access to healthcare in line with Government universal healthcare policy which stipulates that people should not walk more than 5km to the nearest health facility.

The council is also building Batoka Clinic, classroom blocks at Nyongolo Primary school, a students boarding facility at Matetsi Secondary School and electrification of a teachers’ cottage at Chidobe Secondary among other projects.

Minister Moyo said all this is testimony that the Second Republic walks the talk and he thanked the community for being part of the development agenda.

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member and attended the commissioning ceremony commended the development.

“We applaud the donors that responded to the plight of Leona Sibanda who had been attacked by a buffalo as well as the HRDC to construct this magnificent building that will act as a polyclinic. The completion of this clinic was made possible by the Devolution Fund which was allocated through the National Budge as guided by President Mnangagwa.

“We are very happy that in this area which did not have this facility people won’t walk more than 15km to the health facility,” said Adv Mudenda.

HRDC chief executive officer Mr Phindile Ncube said the clinic took time because of financial challenges and when the Second Republic came in, the council took over to complete the project using Devolution Funds and that has led to this event today

Buy a Brick Foundation founding director Mr Gib Leonard said the idea was to complement Government in delivering services to citizens.