Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE completion of a new clinic being constructed by the Beitbridge Municipality with the support of devolution funds is set to go a long way in addressing service delivery issues affecting women in the border town.
The local authority has so far used ZWL116 million on the project from its allocation of devolution funds last year.
Town Clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, said the town’s population was rapidly growing hence the need to match its growth with the provision of critical services.
He said the new clinic located near White Lodge along the road leading to Bulawayo from Beitbridge will service new suburbs mainly those on the town’s northern part.
These include Tshitaudze (Ha Mangavha, PWD, Hlalani Khuhle area), Madinginye (New Medium Density) and Mabidi (Medium and Low Density) located west along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road.
“The town’s population is growing and this calls for us to increase the access to key services, including primary health care in the town,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
“So, with the help of devolution funds, we have been able to address service delivery challenges and at the moment we are building a new clinic north of the town to cater for new suburbs. The main building is now at window level. We have used ZWL116 960 976,99 from last year’s allocation.”
He said they expected the project to be completed as soon as possible. Mr Ramakgapola said the council was also sprucing up a building in the Tshitaudze suburb to house a satellite clinic.
The facility, he said, will open its doors soon pending inspection by authorities from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The local authority has one clinic near Dulivhadzimu Bus Terminus and there are at least six private surgeries and the Premier Medical Services Polyclinic catering for the over 100 000 residents and 15 000 others in transit through the town daily, who may need medical attention.
“This is a welcome development. You will note that women face challenges when they are expecting and travel long distances, which may lead to complications,” said Ms Sthabisiwe Moyo, Matabeleland South’s Proportional Representation legislator (Beitbridge).
“When due for delivery, expecting mothers living in areas with limited health facilities end up giving birth without the help of trained nurses; some even deliver from their homesteads or houses.
“This clinic will help the Beitbridge community to reduce mortality rates and ease the access of health facilities, reducing walking long distances and saving on transport costs.”
Former Beitbridge District Development Co-ordinator (DDC), Mrs Kiliboni Ndou, lauded the construction of the new clinic saying there were limited public health facilities in new suburbs where the community was largely relying on private clinics whose services were beyond their reach.
“For a new suburb to be fully established, there must be at least a public medical facility, a primary and secondary school and a proper road network, so the construction of a clinic is a positive move towards the establishment of the new suburbs. Women won’t pay for transport to take them to baby clinics. Personally, as a woman, I appreciate the idea,” said Mrs Ndou.
Radio personality and producer at the local community radio station, Lotsha FM, Muvhuso Chibi, said the construction of the new clinic will help in addressing public health access.
Online Reporter