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Michael Magoronga,Features Reporter
SIX-year-old Sibongile Ncube is part of the large crowd that gathered for the commissioning of the ambulance delivered to Silobela District Hospital by the Second Republic.
She stands in awe as those in attendance, particularly women, took to the stage to dance and ululate as they welcome the life-saving gift.
Although Sibongile might be too young to understand, her mother had explained to her that she gave birth to her at the back of a pick-up truck as she was rushed to Kwekwe General Hospital.
Today she is part of the crowd that is witnessing a milestone achievement, which will go a long way in ensuring expecting mothers and other patients are transported to referral hospitals in fit-for-purpose vehicles.
The availability of a new ambulance for Silobela Hospital is expected to go a long way in improving the transport system in and outside the district, which is a referral for 13 clinics in Silobela and Zhombe and enables swift response to emergency cases particularly maternity complications that require immediate attention at the hospital.Most cases are also referred to Kwekwe General Hospital.
On this day, women, who were mostly affected by the unavailability of an ambulance, were on cloud nine.
“I was told that I had complications and I had to be transferred to Kwekwe General Hospital for an operation. In those days there were no ambulances and people who had cars took advantage of the situation and charged an arm and a leg,” narrated Sibongile’s mother, Mrs Thenjiwe Ncube.
But given the bad state of the road, they didn’t get far and she ended up delivering along the way.
“Imagine that I had complications and I ended up delivering along the way with only one nurse and at the back of a van. That is how I gave birth to Sibongile. I saw it important that she came to witness this achievement by the Second Republic,” she narrated, joy written all over her face.
Sibongile is part of a number of children who were born either along the way or upon admission to Kwekwe General Hospital.
“Some could not make it to Kwekwe Hospital. They died along the way, which is very unfortunate. This is why we are so happy today that we have this ambulance at this institution,” she said.
She, however, lamented the bad state of the road and urged the authorities to look into the issue.
Chief Malisa who was part of the gathering, gave an account of how he had become an experienced midwife.
In the absence of an ambulance, the traditional leader’s vehicle was the one used to ferry expecting mothers to Kwekwe General Hospital and along the way , so much happened.
“I was always on standby to ferry expecting mothers who would have developed complications to Kwekwe and I had no option. I could not watch people die, especially our expecting mothers. I had to use my vehicle to rush them to Kwekwe,” he explained.
But the bad state of the road made the situation difficult as the chief would not reach the destination in time with some mothers giving birth along the way. “Many times, I became the midwife as I assisted the nurse in helping the women deliver. The road was so bad that we could not reach Kwekwe in time. We are very much grateful for the ambulance, but I also encourage the Government to look into the state of the road,” he said.
He also heaped praises on the local legislator, Cde Jonah Nyevera for the efforts he is putting in rehabilitating the road.
Cde Nyevera is using personal resources for the grading and gravelling of the road while a long-term plan is being implemented by the Government.
“I am grateful to the MP because he is seeing the importance of the road, we need it so badly, so that our mothers do not give birth along the way. The work that he is doing is not to be taken for granted as it is of great importance. Our expecting mothers are dying along the way and this is not acceptable,” he said.
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More than 40 kilometres of the road have so far been graded with the rest expected to be completed soon.
“So far we have channeled about US$5 000 towards the buying of fuel for the graveling of the road so that it becomes trafficable. We are grateful to Zibagwe RDC who gave us a grader and a driver for the grading of the road. We will engage local business people for the maintenance of the road after we are done with refurbishing it,” said the youthful legislator.
He said besides being helpful to the expecting mothers, the road was also useful in bringing business activity to Silobela and Nkayi.
“When we received the ambulance from the Government, we then tasked ourselves with refurbishing the road and making it trafficable. Besides it being a relief to our expecting mothers and other patients, it comes with business to Silobela because most vehicles are failing to reach this part of the country due to the bad road,” he said.
Cde Nyevera said the road was part of his major plans for the constituency.
“We want Silobela to become urbanised and one of the major areas is that of road infrastructure which is part of the broader development aspects towards Vision 2030. So the road is one of the major projects that we are working on together with other projects including water provision, network and ICT provision as well as improving health and education sector among others,” he said.
He said the long-term plan was for the Government to engage a contractor for the tarring of the road.
“We managed to ensure that the road is included in the budget and we will wait for the Government to move in and tar the road. But while we are waiting for that, we are grading the road so that at least vehicles can travel without hustle,” he said.
Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minster, Owen Ncube said the road was not only key to improving the gains of the constituency but the health sector.
“I wish to applaud efforts by Hon Member of Parliament Cde Nyevera in rehabilitating the Kwekwe-Nkayi Road which is key in the health delivery system. The road is our priority for resurfacing under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program (ERRP),” he said.
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Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter