Sharara community calls for nearby clinic

 

Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter

THE Sharara community in Makoni South Constituency is appealing to the Government and other development-oriented stakeholders to partner with them in constructing a local clinic – which project has been slow to materialise.

The villagers in Makoni Rural District Council Ward 30 travel at least 8km to their nearest health facility – Nyamidzi Clinic – and to access it, cross two rivers, which become impassable during the rainy season due to flooding.

Headman John Nyamombe said the community is mobilising locally available materials – farm bricks, river and pit sand, and concrete stones – for the construction of the clinic in the malaria-prone area.

Sharara is a malaria-prone area, where villagers are frequently exposed to the disease due to the prevalence of mosquitoes, and the lack of a nearby clinic exacerbates the situation, making it challenging for villagers to access timely medical treatment.

Headman Nyamombe expressed concern that women in his village are resorting to unsafe home birth deliveries due to the deterrent distance to Nyamidzi Clinic.

Home birth deliveries pose significant dangers to mothers and new-borns, including infection, haemorrhage, and asphyxia.

 

This practice is particularly alarming, as it undermines the country’s efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates, and reflects a broader challenge in the healthcare system, where access to quality maternal healthcare services remains limited, particularly in rural areas.

 

“Ward 30, specifically Sharara Village, faces a significant challenge due to the lack of a nearby clinic. We urgently need a clinic adjacent to Sharara Secondary School. Currently, villagers are travelling over 8km to access the nearest clinic in Chitenderano, which is unsustainable.

“The consequence of this is that we are having high cases of home deliveries as pregnant mothers often fail to reach the clinic in time due to the long distance. Although village health workers are doing their best to facilitate safe home and roadside deliveries, we want our women to deliver in a safe environment that protects their lives and those of their babies.

“Accessing either Nyamidzi or Chikobvore clinics requires crossing two rivers, which becomes extremely challenging during the rainy season. A site has been reserved for a clinic next to Sharara Secondary School, but construction has been delayed. Villagers previously mobilised local resources, including bricks, concrete stones, and river sand, but the construction failed to commence. We are appealing to well-wishers to partner with us in constructing this essential facility,” said Headman Nyamombe.

Makoni Rural District Council chief executive officer, Engineer Edmore Chidembo said they have prioritised the construction of rural health service centres across the district.

He said the planned Sharara Clinic is among projects slated for budget allocation this year.

“The construction plans for Sharara Clinic have been reactivated, and will be incorporated into our budget. We have identified several clinic construction projects across the district, and Sharara will be included in the line-up. We are also open to partnering with stakeholders to support the construction of this critical healthcare facility,” said Engineer Chidembo.

A local villager, Mrs Varaidzo Mangwiro highlighted the severe consequences of the village’s lack of a clinic, citing high mortality rates and inadequate access to healthcare services, particularly for elderly citizens who struggle to travel long distances.

“The proposed clinic has been in the pipeline for far too long. Unfortunately, our area continues to record a high number of home deliveries. Some of us have taken it upon ourselves to assist with deliveries, a role we would rather not assume. We implore Government and other stakeholders to intervene, and partner with us to build this much-needed clinic. It is heart-breaking to see women giving birth along the way to distant clinics, resulting in the loss of precious lives – both mothers and babies.

“The elderly, suffering from ailments like diabetes and high blood pressure, find it extremely challenging to walk long distances to receive diagnoses and treatment. We are willing to contribute materials available in the village, as we have done in the past,” said Mrs Mangwiro.