Mutapa maternal clinic reopens

Midlands Bureau
Gweru’S Mtapa Maternal Clinic, which was closed in 2013 for renovations, was reopened on Monday with the new look clinic recoding its first delivery yesterday. Mtapa is Gweru’s oldest suburb and the maternal clinic was shut down in 2013 after its structures were condemned by health experts. In an interview, Gweru city council’s Health Director, Mr Sam Sekenhamo, said the clinic was reopened on Monday after the completion of the refurbishment, which included providing new beds and putting new ablution facilities for the clinic to meet modern health standards.

“We have reopened the clinic after we completed major renovations. It has been closed since 2013 and the local community has responded and we have already recorded our first delivery,” he said.

When The Herald visited the clinic yesterday, some expecting mothers were coming in to inquire while some were registering with the clinic. Ms Sharon Mande (22), who became the first mother to deliver at the new look clinic said she was very happy with the standards. “I am very happy with the treatment I am getting here,” she said.

“I really feel at home. I delivered a baby boy with no complications and the standards here are very good. It feels like you are in a big hospital when it’s a mere clinic.” Ms Mande said she had no money to register with private hospitals and was very happy to learn that her local clinic had been opened.

Sister Theresa Muchatumba, who was attending to Ms Mande’s newly born baby, a bouncing baby boy, said the clinic came at the right time for the local community. “We are getting a huge response, the local community is very happy, people are walking in asking if they can come to register as expectant mothers,” she said.

The clinic has 10 beds. Meanwhile, Gokwe-Kana villagers have hailed the opening of Katema clinic, saying it will reduce the distance pregnant women and the elderly people travelled to seek health care. Katema Clinic becomes the second health centre to be constructed in the area following the completion of Dzvuke St Hills by the villagers working with their Member of the National Assembly Cde Owen Ncube (Zanu PF). The two clinics will cater for over 17 000 villagers. In an interview, Cde Ncube said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had already deployed nurses to the two clinics.

“I am glad to note that we have completed the construction of two clinics in Gokwe-Kana constituency which are Katema and Dzvuke health centres. First to be completed was Dzvuke Clinic and now we are done with Katema Clinic. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has already deployed nurses and other supporting staff,” he said.

Cde Ncube said the opening of the two clinics brought relief to villagers who were forced to travel between 30 to 70 kilometres to Nkayi or Gokwe Centre for medical attention. He hailed support he got from the villagers who were involved in brink moulding and the construction of the clinics, while he provided other building materials like cement, windows and roofing material.

“Construction of these clinics is in line with Zanu-PF economic blueprint Zim-Asset cluster that touches on infrastructure development. We are also strengthening health care in the area,” said Cde Ncube.