Chronicle Editor
Uzile Mkwananzi, Sunday News Reporter
SOME major improvements in the health delivery system in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South Province, have excited villagers who no longer have to walk long distances to access health services as the Second Republic has brought the services to their doorsteps with more clinics being constructed.
The district is building more clinics to add to the 19 health facilities that it so far has that are owned by multiple entities including the Government, council, mine and army, among others and are supported by the district’s Results Based Financing (RBF).
Speaking to Sunday News in an interview, Umzingwane Chief Executive Officer Mrs Sthembiso Sibanda said they were happy with the progress that the district had so far achieved in the provision of health infrastructure using devolution and through partnerships.
“Umzingwane District has a total of nineteen health facilities and they are owned as follows, ten by the council, six by the Government including the district hospital, one by the army, one by Falcon College and the last by the mine. The health care system is supported by the Results Based Financing from Treasury.
“It is disbursed quarterly and is based on the performance of the health facilities using the specified indicators such as completion of registers, clinic attendance, deliveries conducted, cleanliness of the clinics,” she said.
Mrs Sibanda said they recently established the Health Centre Committees that assist in the operations of the clinics through resource mobilisation for the development of health facilities, adding that the district has also engaged village health workers on awareness campaigns on health issues such as primary health care and immunisation programmes that affect the community.
“Health Centre Committees are statutory committees according to the Public Health Act, they are established in every health centre. They are responsible for developmental issues at the clinic and are a bridge between the communities and the Ministry of Health,” she said.
She said through support from the Government and development partners, the district has built and renovated clinics and staff houses for health workers in various places.
“Umzingwane RDC renovated a staff house at Zimbili Clinic in Ward 19 and constructed a septic tank at the same clinic. We also constructed a staff house at Mawabeni Clinic and we are currently in the process of constructing a staff house at Ntshamathe Clinic in Ward 1, it is now at trenching level and the communities are moulding bricks.”
Mrs Sibanda said two sites have been identified for the construction of additional clinics in ward 9 and 14 where site plans have been produced and pegging has been done.
She added that there has been a borehole drilling programme in the district where three boreholes have been drilled at Dula, Mhlahlandlela and Irisvale in partnership with health partners like UNDP.
She said the district has partnered with the private sector to implement health projects such as construction of mother’s waiting homes, Out Patient Department (OPD), equipping the clinics, maintenance of the health infrastructure, providing the working materials and provision of other healthcare support services.
She however, expressed concern over the late disbursement of the RBF saying it was in some instances slowing down the pace at which they would want to move in the implementation of the projects.
“We however, struggle with late disbursement of RBF which slows down our projects. We are hoping that this year there will be timeous disbursement of RBF from the Government so that projects are started and finished on time,” she said.
She added that the procurement process was too long and with the price volatility, quotations expire within 24 hours resulting in failure to procure the requisite accessories as planned. She appealed to the Government to ensure that the procurement process was reviewed.
“For the year 2024, we have budgeted for the construction of two clinics in Wards 9 and 20. We also want to work on the construction of a mother’s waiting home and OPD in Ward 5 through partnership.
“There will also be the renovation of staff houses in Ward 19 and construction of a staff house at Ntshamathe Clinic. Lastly, we are also working on the renovation of a mother’s waiting home at Nhlangano Clinic in Ward 2 and the construction of OPD at Habane Clinic in Ward 16,” said Mrs Sibanda.
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