Thupeyo Muleya — A new clinic is set to open doors at the 60km peg along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road in the Mazunga area with construction workers now putting some final touches to the health institution.
The clinic will service communities around resettlements areas in ward 14, Tshionzeni, Musane, Mapani, Mabidi, Masera, Zhovhe area as well as motorists using the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road.
Communities in the area, working with the local legislator, Cde Ruth Maboyi and the Beitbridge Rural District Council put together resources and converted a former farmhouse into a clinic.
Project chairman, Mr Alfred Makhomo Moyo said the opening of the facility would ease the plight of sick people who had to walk up to 15km to get medical attention.
The distance is almost twice the maximum distance recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for people to access health services.
According to WHO standards, people should not walk for more than 8km to access primary healthcare facilities.
"We noticed a gap in terms of public health service delivery in our area, which is predominantly a farming zone and we are located along the major highway," said Mr Moyo.
"So we decided to pool resources and modify this former farmhouse into a clinic. We approached our council and businessmen around who made this dream possible.
"This health facility is located at a central place in Ward 14 and we are looking forward to its opening."
He said they had since received medical equipment from well-wishers for use upon the completion of the project.
Mr Moyo said painting, modification of infrastructure and plumbing had been completed.
At the moment, he said they were waiting for the Zimbabwe Electricity and Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) to connect the clinic to the main power supply line.
"The local authority and the Ministry of Health and Child Care will soon be conducting their final inspections and we are looking at open for services in the next few days," he said.
The medical facility has a maternity wing to accommodate more than 12 women at a time, a pharmacy, mothers' waiting shelter, environmental health section.
Other sections include the general out patients' department, male and female wards and a standard emergency room among other facilities.
A villager from Malala in Ward 6 Ms Remaketsi Mbedzi said the opening of Mazunga clinic would help address challenges some women in Beitbridge West were having in accessing primary health care facilities.
"This is a welcome development in our area and we are hoping that the new clinic will help ease the pressure at Mtetengwe Clinic which is serving the larger part of Ward 14 resettlement areas. At the same time, the burden on women in that area will be minimised especially those seeking neo and post-natal services," said Ms Mbedzi.
Career Development worker, Mr Enock Kwinika said the new facility was very critical in servicing travellers who fell sick on their journeys between Beitbridge and Bulawayo or in times of road traffic accidents.
He said currently, accident victims along the 200km road stretch between Gwanda and Beitbridge were travelling for longer distances to access emergency medical attention. Mr Kwinika said the clinic was strategically positioned to serve a larger number of villagers from the farming area and surrounding communal lands.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Beitbridge West Legislator, Cde Ruth Maboyi who is also the Deputy Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister said she was working with villagers in most areas to construct more health facilities through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
"We have a shortage of such facilities, but we are doing is to bring together community members and other development agencies to construct more facilities," she said.
"At the moment, we are busy constructing Whunga clinic in Ward 1o, which is now at roof level.
"Where we identify gaps and a construction site, villagers are contributing labour and sometimes material supported by other players including the local authorities to build the infrastructure."
