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Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
SANYATI Rural District Council (SRDC) is making great strides towards decentralising quality health care services to its communities with the construction of two state-of-the-art clinics in line with the devolution agenda.
The rural clinics are being constructed by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and the Public Works Department, with the participation of villagers.
Prior to devolution funds, the council was only renovating farm houses into clinics due to fund constrictions that affected efforts to construct new structures.
Upon completion, the two clinics will each have male and female wards with a capacity to accommodate 10 patients, maternity and delivery wards, high-tech equipped laboratories, flushing ablution services, independent multi-million-dollar solar power grids, tap water and other facilities.
Construction commenced late year, while architectural plans for staff accommodation have been approved.
SRDC’s Engineer Pardon Muputa told The Herald last week during the tour of MariMari Clinic in Ward 5, which is contracted to ZDF, that works were within the 100 days of the first-quarter deadline.
Said Eng Muputa: “Completion of MariMari Clinic is within the council’s target of the first 100 days of 2022. We engaged the ZDF for artisanal work which is also cost effective.
“The first block which comprises of male and female wards; maternity wards; delivery wards, environmental health technician’s office and other support rooms, is now at ring beam level and almost 65 percent complete.
“The second block, which houses out-patient departments, observation ward as well as drug and laboratory rooms, also nears completion.”
At least $600 000 from devolution funds has been reserved for the project, which is set to end healthcare service nightmares in the community.
The catchment area has over 140 homesteads and at least 15 000 villagers who currently walk a minimum of 40 kilometres to access health services at Patchway Clinic.
SRDC has, from the Devolution Fund, managed to procure over 90 percent of the required material and it has installed a 60-metre dip solar-powered borehole.
Water from the borehole is being used for construction as well as for consumption by nearby communities.
“As council, we have gone an extra mile to construct state-of-the-art flushable ablution facilities with showers and a laundry section,” said Eng Muputa.
“The ablution is currently at slab level, but we anticipate to have finished construction by the time we commission.”
SRDC is also going to use its funds to rehabilitate a seven-kilometre road that connects the clinic with the Kadoma-Sanyati main road.
Mr Shame Murido, a villager who is providing security at the construction site, said people had been walking long distance to access health care services.
“As villagers, we are providing bricks and other labour requirements,” he said.
“We want to thank President Mnangagwa for availing funds because many people will benefit from the clinic.”
Another villager Ms Tendai Manenji said the long distance from the village to the nearest health care centre and damaged roads, were claiming lives of expecting mothers and their unborn children.
SRDC chairman, Mr Patson Chakauya said villagers in Ward 12 were not cooperating on Masasa Clinic, resulting in works lagging behind by a month.
But he was optimistic that the clinic will be opened by June.
SRDC chief executive, Mr Achim Shadaya, encouraged other councils to engage the services of the ZDF to minimise costs while at the same time receiving quality work.
He said the council purchased two tipper trucks from devolution funds that have been used to transport quarry stones and sand to the two construction sites.
Online Reporter