Tendai Gukutikwa
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ON a blowy Monday morning, 68-year-old Mrs Evelyn Nyamunga received rare visitors at her House Number 428, OTS, Sakubva in Ward One of City of Mutare.
A convoy of up-to-the-minute hospital wagons, emblazoned Discovery Ambulance Services (DAS), lined up at a roundabout just outside her home.
Naturally, Sakubva being Sakubva, hordes of youngsters in Mutare’s oldest high-density suburb deserted their home-made plastic ball field and thronged Mrs Nyamunga’s house to witness what exactly what was going on.
It was not long before faces from the crowd and media personnel in attendance, melt in awe and empathy as Mrs Nyamunga was ferried from her apartment to the yard for initial medical checks in order to safely place her in one of the ambulances.
Hers is a sad story of a long battle with a painful illness that rendered her motionless.
More painfully she could not afford specialist treatment for her deteriorating condition.
Her speech is barely audible, and requires greater attention to grasp.
The same applies to 54-year-old Ms Delilah Mabhiye, residing a stone’s throw from Mrs Nyamunga’s house in the same suburb.
In fact, scores of Sakubva residents, mainly adults and the elderly, received free specialist medical care for various ailments, thanks to the Presidential Medical Outreach Programme run under the auspices of the David Munowenyu-led Discovery Ambulance Services (DAS).
Most of those assisted, suffering from hypertension, sugar diabetes, cancer and other diseases, could not afford costs related to specialist treatment.
Mrs Nyamunga said: “I have lived with this pain for the past years, and it actually worsened in the past year. It is unbearable. Personally, I could not afford some of the costs required for me to get medical help.
“I am really grateful to Mr David Munowenyu and his team. May the good Lord bless these young men and women for their love and care. I am looking forward to getting specialist treatment and hopefully, God willing, I will be strong again.”
Mr Innocent Mpofu, who is Mrs Nyamunga’s son-in-law, had this to say:
“We are really thankful to Mr David Munowenyu and his Discovery Ambulance Services for this immense assistance. As a family, we were deeply troubled by our mother’s deteriorating health, and at times resigned to fate due to lack of resources. However, we thank God that Mr Munowenyu decided to give back to his community through this noble initiative.”
In an interview on the sidelines of the programme, DAS executive director, Mr Munowenyu said: “This is a programme that we came up with after taking heed of a call from the community leadership here in Sakubva relating to the need to assist in giving specialist medical attention.
“We are here to further the Presidential Medical Outreach Programme that was initiated by His Excellency, the President, Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, and ensure that we leave no one behind in the provision of quality healthcare.
We are happy, and we feel gratified being able to make a difference in people’s lives. We are also thankful to His Excellency for seeing the need to help the needy in our communities.”
Sakubva Ward One ZANU PF official, Cde Donald Manhende, who spearheaded the mobilisation and verification of those in need of specialist medical care, said: “We are grateful to the Presidential Medical Outreach Programme, through DAS for coming to our assistance. This is something that the people here really appreciate, given the financial burden associated with accessing specialist medical care.
“Most of these people that we are assisting have no means to get specialist medical care. Therefore, we really appreciate DAS, led by Mr Munowenyu for sparing a thought for the people in need, and more so in an area that raised him.”
Even though this is part of the community social responsibility, DAS aims to make medical emergency coverage affordable and accessible to all, including the needy, by offering various packages and fleets stationed in 68 districts of the country.
They provide 24/7 emergency assistance, including ambulance services, medical advice, and priority access to advanced care.
DAS also offers free BP checks and evacuation services within a 40km radius.
The entity also provides services from basic first aid training to emergency life support courses for non-medicals as first line responders.
DAS also provides Medsport and events cover where they station a fully-kitted ambulance with highly trained ambulance technicians to respond swiftly.
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