Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
THE construction of nine new health centres by Makoni Rural District Council, in partnership with various organisations, is aimed at reducing the average walking distance to the nearest clinic from seven kilometres to five, and improving access to healthcare in the country’s largest district.
The council is also building waiting mothers’ homes at each of the district’s 53 rural health centres to reduce maternal mortality.
Forty-one clinics already have the facilities, while additional staff houses are being constructed following increased recruitment in 2022.
Makoni RDC chief executive officer, Engineer Edmore Chidembo, said the council partnered with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Air Force of Zimbabwe, churches, communities and members of the House of Assembly to construct clinics in underserved areas.
In Makoni North, Honourable Joseph Muwombi is using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to build Mapere Clinic, which is 36 percent complete, Rumano Clinic (10 percent), Dewerwi Clinic (10 percent) and Mutiwegora Clinic (15 percent).
In Headlands, ZPCS is constructing Mambudzi Clinic (40 percent), while council and the community are building Chiropa Clinic (60 percent). The Roman Catholic Church has completed Monte Casino Private Hospital.
In Makoni South, ZPCS is constructing Chimbike Clinic (60 percent) and Air Force of Zimbabwe is working on Denzva Clinic (20 percent).
“Makoni is the largest district in the country by land area, covering 787 050 hectares, with a population of 288 444. The district is served by 53 health centres, which include 23 council, 20 Government, five mission hospitals, two mission rural hospitals and three Government hospitals.
‘‘Out of the 53 facilities, 41 have waiting mothers’ homes. The council is collaborating with communities and various organisations to construct additional waiting mothers’ homes to ensure access to maternal health care for all and to reduce mortality rates.
“In the past, the council partnered with World Vision to build waiting mothers’ homes at Masvosva Clinic and Matsika Clinic. Member of House of Assembly for Makoni North, Honourable Joseph Muwombi, is currently working with the council on the construction of a waiting mothers’ house at Tsikada Clinic.
‘‘PetroZim has also partnered with the council to establish similar facilities at Mubvurungwa Clinic.
Our goal is to ensure that all clinics have waiting mothers’ houses.
The average walking distance to health services in the district is 7km and the council’s objective is to reduce it to an average of 5km.
“In 2022, the increase in staff establishment at health centres improved service delivery, but also led to a notable shortage of staff accommodation at these facilities.
‘‘The council has budgeted for the construction of additional staff accommodation to cure this problem. Currently, Muchline Investments has committed to build four staff houses at Tsikada Clinic,” said Engineer Chidembo.
Meanwhile, the Government has deployed an ambulance at Weya Rural Hospital in Makoni North, bringing the number of ambulances serving the area to two, in a move expected to improve patient referrals to Rusape General Hospital.
Previously, the remote constituency was served by only one ambulance stationed at St Michael’s Mission Clinic in Tanda, which was overwhelmed by demand, forcing residents to hire expensive private vehicles to transport the sick to Rusape.
Makoni District Medical Officer, Dr Tendai Nyafesu said the ambulance donated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa will have a significant impact in the malaria-prone area, and help reduce maternal deaths by enabling the swift transfer of women with pregnancy complications.
“The district recently received an ambulance from President Mnangagwa, and deployed it at Weya Rural Hospital in Chiendambuya.
‘‘The area is remote, and we have been taking long to dispatch ambulances to collect patients. An ambulance requires at least two hours to collect a patient from that area, and found it prudent to add another ambulance to complement the one at St Michael Mission.
‘‘Makoni North is a malaria-prone area, and there are high cases related to pregnancy complications.
‘‘These are emergency cases that require prompt and urgent attention, which this ambulance will help us to achieve. Currently the district has eight ambulances and require an additional five so that each rural hospital has one,” said Dr Kafesu.
A Chiendambuya villager, Ms Linda Padare, said the delivery of the ambulance demonstrated Government’s commitment to leaving no one behind in health service provision.
She said private vehicles charge US$150 to transport a patient to Rusape, which is beyond the reach of many.
