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Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO South representative in the National Assembly, Cde Raj Modi, will name a clinic at Sidojiwe Flats that he is constructing after a child at the flats who died of dehydration following a bout of diarrhoea.
Cde Modi said the clinic, which will be called the Amarah Nyathi Clinic, will be for the Sidojiwe Flats community who are in dire need of affordable medical services.
“I decided to assist with a clinic because this community needs it more than anything else. Since we started our campaigns we visited the place often and I became very close to the young children there so I decided to do something that will assist these young children,” he said.
“Just recently a young baby, Amarah who was six-months-old, died after suffering from diarrhoea. The baby was severely dehydrated and it is unfortunate that we were informed late at night when the child had died. The conditions are not very healthy at those flats.”
Amarah was receiving assistance from Cde Modi’s campaign team who provided clothes, milk, food and other necessities before she died. Cde Modi said he will also construct a pre-fabricated container that will be set up at the clinic. Local doctors have also volunteered to render services free of charge to the community.
“I will try to get a partner who can donate medication free of charge to the clinic or at least at a subsidised price so that the people can be examined by doctors and access the medication too,” he said.
Cde Modi said the clinic will be accessible to the more than 250 children that are resident at the flats so that they are monitored regularly to avoid situations whereby a child dies before they can access medical treatment.
“We want people to access health care as regularly as possible and it should be very near to them. It is my hope that I will be able to do more for this community as and when I can. They deserve better living conditions,” he said.
Cde Modi also revealed that there were over 400 patients that were waiting to have eye cataracts removed at Richard Morris Hospital at the United Bulawayo Hospitals.
“We were supposed to have an eye camp in August but it has been rescheduled. Over 400 patients will get eye operations at a cost of $18 000. These patients were drawn from a community health expo I hosted in Wards 21 and Six,” he said.
derick.khumalo