Major boost for Midlands Province health workers

THREE districts in the Midlands Province have taken delivery of three pharmacy vehicles and 30 motorcycles worth over US$130 000, for use in improving service delivery within the districts.

The vehicles worth US$65 000 and motorcycles worth US$65 200, were purchased through support from Global Fund. The three districts are Chirumhanzu, Mberengwa and Shurugwi.

The availed vehicles and motorcycles are part of a broader national strategy by the Second Republic, to capacitate and revamp the national health services towards universal health coverage of quality.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Owen Ncube ,handed over the cars and motorcycles to representatives of the beneficiary districts during a brief ceremony, at the Government Complex in Gweru, on Friday.

“This occasion is another milestone achieved under the Second Republic as I handover three pharmacy vehicles valued at US$65 000 and 30 motorcycles valued at US$65 200, purchased by the Government through support from Global Fund,” he said.

“I remember vividly December 5 last year, when I had the opportunity to hand over vehicles to five districts and promised to lobby for the remaining three, for Chirumhanzu, Mberengwa and Shurugwi and this has been fulfilled today.”

Minister Ncube said President Mnangagwa is committed to providing inclusive health service through capacitation of the dedicated health personnel, with necessities such as transport.

“This gesture underscores Government’s devolution and decentralisation policy direction. During my regular monitoring support visits, I observed that mobility of health personnel remains one of the major challenges bedevilling our health sector,” he said.

“The vehicles and motorcycles will significantly improve the provision of health services through the transportation of drugs by primary health care facilities, optimal use of medicines through timeous transportation, which ultimately reduces cases of expired drugs.”

Minister Ncube said the vehicles will facilitate efficient monitoring of drug supply, usage and general health services by environmental health technicians.

“It will also enhance contact tracing of patients under treatment of diseases such as TB, Malaria, and HIV/Aids among others.

The Health For All by 2025 Policy ,dovetails with the provisions of attaining an upper middle income society earlier than 2030,” he said.

Minister Ncube said Government upholds all health indicators and has pledged to commit domestic resources ,as well as engagement of partners such as the Global Fund, to support the health delivery system.

“Furthermore, we appreciate the massive health services support we receive from local private entities, church organisations and friendly countries that include Russia, China, India and Belarus,” he said.

Minister Ncube said through its engagement and re-engagement policy, the Second Republic got 18 helicopter ambulances from Russia, and a modern cancer screening mobile clinic, availed to the Angel of Hope Foundation from Belarus.

“There is also the rehabilitation of the Gweru Provincial Hospital High Care Unit by Unki Mines and the rehabilitation of Gweru Infectious Disease Hospital by Mimosa Mining Company among others,” he said.

Minister Ncube said President Mnangagwa is spearheading multi-faceted development projects aimed at improving the general standards of living.

“I am therefore proud of the New Dispensation’s signature programmes and projects, which we must all leverage on. These include the high tech Zimbabwe fibre optic network system, commissioned by President Mnangagwa in Somabhula, rehabilitation of our highways and bridges across the country,” he said.

“We also have the Presidential Borehole Drilling Programme targeting villages.”