Harare — There is no qualified medical doctor to serve over 80 000 people who live in Umguza District in Matabeleland North.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Launch of the Doctors Outreach Trust, Mrs Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, wife to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development and the MP for Umguza, Cde Obert Mpofu, said it was saddening to note that there were no qualified doctors in the district.

"Umguza district has a huge population of more than 80 000 people, but there are no qualified doctors," said Mrs Mpofu.

"This is despite the fact that there are several clinics dotted around the district. There are about five public clinics servicing the 19 wards of the district and Nyamandlovu Hospital, and these are manned by nurses.

"This has resulted in poor health delivery service in the district, which has left many patients in vulnerable situations. We appreciate Government efforts in introducing primary health care programmes, but that is not enough as we continue to face critical shortages of essential drugs and skilled healthcare practitioners," she said.

Mrs Mpofu revealed that the district had no mortuary and appealed to doctors, corporate sector and Government to assist them in alleviating the plight of people in Umguza.

"Nyamandlovu Hospital has no mortuary and people have problems when their relatives die as they are forced to travel long distances to Mpilo Central Hospital or Tsholotsho to ferry the dead. We appeal to various organisations, doctors and government to assist us," said Mrs Mpofu.

Meanwhile, seven junior doctors who are members of the Doctors Outreach Trust, pledged to offer free service to Umguza community after realising that there was need to move from awareness to action.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, the President of the Doctors Outreach Trust, Dr Sydney Mukonoweshuro said the health delivery sector was affected by the current economic situation and urged doctors to have the people at heart for the benefit of the nation. "It takes one person and empathy for their own people to make a revolution. Zimbabwe needs healthy people who can work and develop the country and the Doctors Outreach Trust seeks to change the lives of the people in Matabeleland as we train young doctors that are coming," said Dr Mukonoweshuro.

"In our capacity as health professionals we have seen a lot of easily preventable suffering and we feel we are in a privileged position to improve health delivery in our provinces."

The seven doctors, who have already embarked on their mission starting in Nyamandlovu in Umguza District, will be providing free consultations and drugs to needy people in remote areas through a mobile outreach programme to be carried out at regular intervals.