Online Reporter
Anesu January
Herald Correspondent
The Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ) Mbare Clinic has achieved significant milestones over the past five years, preventing an estimated 18 000 unintended pregnancies, averting 80 maternal deaths and saving over US$1 million in direct healthcare costs.
This announcement was made by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Kwidini, at the clinic’s reopening ceremony following renovations.
“Over the past five years, the clinic has provided essential, high-quality, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health, family planning, and general health services to more than 30 000 adolescent girls and young women,” the Deputy Minister said.
As a result, this has helped prevent an estimated 18 000 unintended pregnancies, 80 maternal deaths, and approximately 8 000 unsafe abortions, while generating over 50 000 Couple Years of Protection (CYPs).
“The provision of these essential services has also delivered measurable financial benefits, saving more than US$1 million in direct healthcare costs.”
Since opening its doors to the public in 2007, the PSZ Mbare Clinic has significantly impacted the lives of the Mbare community and beyond.
The clinic offers integrated and adolescent-friendly services, and Deputy Minister Kwidini said the clinic will play a critical role in increasing the modern contraceptive prevalence rate among women.
“As part of our Family Planning 2030 commitment, we aim to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) for all women from 48 percent to 54 percent; ensure access to age-appropriate information for adolescents and young people; remove barriers to contraceptive use; and strengthen commodity security through domestic resource mobilisation and private sector involvement.
“Through its integrated and adolescent-friendly services, this clinic plays a critical role in making a contribution towards reaching that target,” he said.
Deputy Minister Kwidini also said the relaunch of the clinic dovetails well with national development aspirations and frameworks that prioritise primary healthcare, health equity, and public-private partnerships to strengthen the health system.
“The relaunch of this clinic also aligns with our broader national development aspirations, as articulated in the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025), the National Health Strategy (2021-2025), the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy (2023-2027), and the National Family Planning Strategy (2022-2027).
“These frameworks prioritise primary health care, health equity, and public-private partnerships to strengthen our national health system,” he said.
He also described the clinic as a “beacon of hope, health, and human dignity”.
“The impact goes beyond Mbare because the clinic is situated in a community that hosts the country’s largest bus terminus, linking people from all provinces of Zimbabwe,” said Deputy Minister Kwidini.
