Online Reporter
There is elation and relief at Gwanda’s Vubachikwe gold mine as the mine’s clinic on the village, which at its height serviced thousands of workers, villagers and transients, is set to reopen within the next fortnight.
This follows the recertification of the clinic as well as sprucing up of the facility, equipment and other key infrastructure by the mine’s management. The clinic had been closed for a period of close to two years after it was destroyed by marauding thugs, at the height of an illegal strike two years ago that halted production at the mine.
“Of course, words cannot express our joy and relief-elation, really, at the certification and imminent reopening. Our villagers and workers, who had not participated in the illegal job action had been disadvantaged by the actions of choreographed miscreants, whom our detractors were behind and as a result, health was compromised on the village,” said mine spokesperson, Robert Mukondiwa.
“Our pursuit has been to ensure that we make the service open and ready for our workforce, who were on care and maintenance service for the bulk of the period since the scaling down of operations and finally this will come to pass,” he added.
“The health of our workers and their families is at the epicentre of our hearts, and we have always been keen to partner our government and the local community leaders to ensure that our people have access to decent health facilities,” he added.
He revealed that the clinic would be officially opened within the coming fortnight by eminent members of society, but could not be drawn to reveal the person, who would breathe life back into the clinic’s operations.
“It is unquestionable that our Managing Director, Allan Dolan, will be coming for the official opening, but we have eminent people also coming to officiate over the event, marking a new era for healthcare in our neck, of the woods,” he said.
“Cognisant of our operating from a place of austerity at the moment, what would otherwise be an important big event will not be a big opening ceremony, as we are sensitive to spending money on a celebration of its kind, however justified, while we pursue our austerity policies until return to operations at full throttle,” he said.
“However, while the event will be intimate, it shall still reflect the magnanimity of the event and what it means to management, workers, the community as well as the delegation of dignitaries that shall come from far and wide to grace the event,” added Mukondiwa.
Vubachikwe has maintained a commitment to provision of decent health services to the nation, in line with the policies and pronouncement of the Government as well as the head of state President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which pursue the dignity of citizens and the provision of competitive health services to the masses.
