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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
HWANGE Rural District Council (RDC) is targeting to construct a clinic in each of its 19 wards in the next three years as it works towards making health care accessible to all.
The local authority was allocated $140 million devolution funding by Government and has so far received $6 million.
The council has nine clinics that are operating and is constructing three more.
In an interview, Hwange RDC chief executive officer Mr Phindile Ncube said the local authority is determined to improve service delivery as envisaged by National Development Strategy (NDS) 1.
“We are doing quite a number of projects, we are building a clinic in Gatshetshede ward called Leona Clinic and hope by the end of this month or at the end of August we would be able to commission that clinic.
“We are also building a clinic in Mashala which is at roof level and another one in Nekavatami ward which is at slab level,” said Mr Ncube.
He said Government’s thrust through NDS1 was that communities should not walk long distances to access services.
“We want each ward to have a clinic. We have 20 wards and one of the wards is within the National Park so we should have 19 clinics,” said Mr Ncube.
He said the target was to have built the 19 clinics in the next three years.
Mr Ncube said they are also working on improving access to education and a school under construction should be commissioned next month.
He sad council will soon start work on road rehabilitation under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme.
Mr Ncube said 2020 was a difficult year for the RDC as it did not benefit from hunting quotas.
“We have a quota of 11 elephants a year and the proceeds are shared by communities. Last year we did not kill a single animal but this year is better because we have so far killed five elephants,” he said. -@nqotshili
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