Zimbabwe marks International Day of the Girl Child

A TOTAL of 108 people living in road traffic accident-prone areas in Esigodini, Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South Province were yesterday awarded certificates of competence after undergoing a week-long first responders’ course.

The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) in partnership with the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society facilitated the course, which is meant to impart industrial first aid skills that include how to approach an accident scene and handling of patients among other skills. The event was held at Esikhoveni Training Centre in Esigodini

The course was open to both men and women, with the latter dominating the course. Participants were trained in three batches. The certificate is valid for three years after which retraining is required.

The award ceremony also coincided with TSCZ’s delayed commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child which was held under the theme “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.

In interviews, the delighted graduates said the course helped equip them with knowledge and skills to help save lives.

“There are many accidents that occur along this highway. This is the road to South Africa via Beitbridge,” said Miss Sithandasiwe Ngwenya.

She said the road is very busy due to large volumes of traffic hence the many accidents being recorded. “After being equipped with these skills as people who live close to the highway, we are now able to attend to the accidents and probabl;y save lives by rendering first aid,” she said

Mr Lucky Dube said: “Since we have been equipped with the basic industrial first aid course, we hope to partner with hospitals through the Ministry of Health and Child Care in the provision of personal protection equipment such as gloves, masks, goggles and other such equipment.”

In his address, Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister Joshua Sacco noted that illegal pirate taxis mushikashika contributed immensely to road traffic accidents.

“It has somewhat become a norm for these mushikashika to overload their vehicles. The front seat will have four people while the passenger back seat carries another four and you find two or three individuals in the boot seated with their legs hanging,” he said.

Deputy Minister Sacco said the violations of traffic rules and regulations seem to have been normalised which is a great cause for concern.

“We are grateful to the police for the great effort they are making in bringing normalcy to our traffic through the Tame the Traffic Jungle operation,” he said.

Deputy Minister Sacco said Government is working on rehabilitating damaged major highways.

“As you know we are under illegal sanctions and Government is working tirelessly to attend to major issues of concern such as bad roads. We work on a budget that is allocated to us and since we have no foreign funding, we are doing the road repairs in stages,” he said.

Deputy Minister Sacco said the training of local communities, especially those living along major highways was meant to empower them with skills to assist accident victims.

“It is noted with regret that there is an increase in the number of people who lose their lives during the golden hour, which is the time soon after a road crash has occurred. Besides the road crash being the major cause of injury or death, another contributing factor has been a failure by first responders to properly attend to the accident victims and render first aid,” he said.

The Deputy Minister Sacco said first responders were key in saving lives hence the need for them to have first aid skills.

“We are saying providing proper first aid to crash victims saves lives and as such we need to take such training seriously,” he said.

TSCZ managing director Mr Munesu Munondawafa said they were optimistic that the initiative will go a long way in saving lives of accident victims.

“This initiative is part of many others that the Government is undertaking to save lives in the event of road accidents,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Miniser Sacco, Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona, said the awards ceremony coincided with the commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child devoted to the rights and plight of girls and the specific difficulties that girls face worldwide.

“Adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years but as they mature into women,” he said.

“If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to contribute positively to our country and the world at large- both as the empowered girls of today and tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, professionals and political leaders.”

Minister Mhona said the Government will recalibrate the commemorations with its flagship strategy, Vision 2030, which among other targets, pronounces the need to reduce road traffic deaths by 50 percent by 2030.

“This also responds to His Excellency the President Cde Mnangagwa’s mantra of not leaving anyone or any place behind. The Second Republic is committed to ensuring that women participate equally and have access to and control over capital and productive resources,” he said.

The event was attended by Defence Deputy Minister Levi Mayihlome and permanent secretary for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mrs Latiso Dlamini-Maseko, among other senior Government officials.