Rural health care must match urban: Ncube

 Thupeyo Muleya
ACCESS to health for people in remote parts of the country must be made a priority, the Minister of Rural Development, Preservation and Promotion of National Culture and Heritage, Abedinico Ncube, has said.

The minister also said more health facilities must be constructed in rural areas as villagers walk long distances for treatment.

Ncube said this during a public hearing by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care in Beitbridge recently.

“One of the challenges the rural community is facing is that of walking long distances.

When they get there, some health services are not available and they end up being referred to big cities and towns for specialist treatment and it gets worse when they’re asked to pay for services,” he said.

“The worst affected are cancer patients and other conditions which require specialist services.

“As representatives of the people, this cannot be acceptable. I’m therefore placing my hopes on your visit that you will assist us to address some of the challenges.”

The minister said the provision of quality health services should be made a priority especially for those living in remote areas of the country.

“I’m informed that you managed to interact with key populations, among them sex workers and people living with HIV and the youths in addition to touring various health centres.

I’m confident that as lawmakers, you’ll take these observations to parliament and raise them for debate and relevant policy interventions,” said Ncube.

He said Matabeleland South’s proximity to Botswana and South Africa had made the risk of contracting TB and HIV even higher with endless movement of people.

“There’s a lot of risk for multi-drug resistance among our people living with HIV and TB. Some of them for various reasons just take off and don’t return to collect their medicines at the initiating centres, ending up borrowing or buying drugs wherever they are,” he said.

“When they finally return home, they’ll have already developed resistance and are usually at a point of death.”