Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
THE newly completed mother’s waiting shelter at Mashaba Clinic in Gwanda, funded through devolution grants, has been met with considerable enthusiasm by the local community. It offers substantial relief to expectant mothers who previously faced arduous journeys to access essential healthcare services.
The waiting mother’s shelter will serve the villages of Mlambapeli, Mosendame, Halisupi and Mashaba. Expecting mothers from the most distant areas were previously required to travel 25km to Manama Hospital for healthcare services.
The project was initiated using funds from the Community Development Fund (CDF), with devolution funds used to complete its construction.
Ms Prudence Moyo, a village health worker from Mashaba Village, described the waiting mother’s shelter as a huge relief for expectant mothers.
“We are happy that we now have a waiting mother’s shelter at our clinic. This facility will help ensure that mothers deliver safely. Sometimes, villagers were forced to travel long distances in scotch carts, which posed significant risks to pregnant women.
“Other women gave birth along the way, which was extremely dangerous. As a village health worker, it was difficult to assist these pregnant women. This is the kind of development we have longed for, and we are glad that it has come to our area,” she said.
Mashaba village head, Mr Brighton Dube, stated that the waiting mother’s shelter would go a long way in improving maternal healthcare services.
“We have seen significant development in the clinic with the construction of this waiting mother’s shelter. Women who needed close supervision during their pregnancies were previously forced to travel to Manama Hospital, as it was the nearest facility with a shelter that could accommodate them.
“Thanks to the devolution programme and CDF, development has now been decentralised to our community. The Government has made it clear that no place will be left behind, and we are glad that this is being implemented here,” Mr Dube said.
Gwanda Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ranganai Sibanda, said that the Mashaba Clinic waiting mother’s shelter was one of the district’s priority projects under the devolution programme.
“The project initially received funding under the CDF, and we channelled devolution funds to ensure its timely completion,” said Mr Sibanda.
Speaking at the recent ceremony to officially open the facility, Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to providing critical services to communities across the country.
She commended the Gwanda Rural District Council for using devolution funds to address a significant gap in the community’s healthcare provision.
“I would like to appreciate the leadership of Gwanda District for supporting the mantra ‘Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo.’ Projects like this are clear evidence that, as a district and province, we are progressing towards Vision 2030, where we aim to create an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society by 2030,” Dr Ndlovu said.
The waiting mother’s shelter will contribute to reducing the maternal mortality rate by ensuring the early detection of pregnancy complications, enabling timely interventions. The shelter will also reduce the number of home deliveries, as expectant mothers will now be attended to by skilled healthcare personnel.
Devolution funds have significantly transformed the health sector, with new clinics being established across several districts in Matabeleland.
The Second Republic continues to implement the inclusive developmental philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.
Social amenities and infrastructure development are key pillars of the National Development Strategy (NDS1), with local councils dedicating a substantial portion of devolution funds to essential healthcare services.
Other projects implemented in the district using devolution funds include the rehabilitation of classroom blocks and clinics.
The devolution programme is one of the key pillars under the NDS1, aimed at realising the country’s Vision 2030, while simultaneously addressing the global aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Agenda 2063.
