The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
ROBUST primary health care systems are essential for implementing and achieving universal health coverage, as well as fulfilling health rights entitlements for the citizens.
The country’s health delivery system is continuously improving due to the intervention by the Second Republic, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
Government is working hard to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for the citizens through radical steps to promote child and maternal health, manage infectious disease outbreaks and ensure access to health services for all within minimum walkable distance.
Manicaland Province has made substantial progress in health, including significant reduction in under-five mortality, maternal mortality and HIV infections, among others, through its unwavering commitment to poverty reduction and health promotion in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The province has recorded 98 percent success in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, thereby surpassing the country’s national average of 93 percent.
This comes as the country is targeting 100 percent elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.
Health authorities at Mutambara, Birchenough Bridge and Chipinge hospitals are impressed with the successes recorded in the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) in their areas.
President Mnangagwa donated an ambulance to St Peter’s Mission Hospital in Chipinge
The partnership between the governments of Zimbabwe and China, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has seen the scaling up of maternal health in districts affected by the March 2019 Cyclone Idai.
Such milestone achievements provide inspiration for us to face the health challenges of the future.
It reflects a greater trend towards the development of State-run mechanisms to ensure widespread access to healthcare and blurs the thin line between primary care and public health.
In doing this, Government has continued primary healthcare provision to all rural, urban and peri-urban communities.
The burden to provide health facilities in every corner of the province was made lighter through the disbursement of devolution funds by Government.
These funds are being used to construct new health facilities and rehabilitate existing ones.
The long distances that people used to trudge to access basic primary health care have now been drastically reduced, thanks to the Second Republic’s massive investments in the health sector.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has made significant achievements in the development of health infrastructure, ranging from the construction of new health facilities to rehabilitation of existing ones.
Across the nation, about 50 health facilities were constructed and completed, 100 projects were renovated, while 1 074 health facilities were solarized, and 201 health facilities benefitted from the borehole water project.
The ministry also invested about US$210 million to ensure quality healthcare for all — the project will avail four 20-bed health centres and 26×20-bed health centres, as well as five 60-bed district hospitals.
Government also procured medical equipment as part of the initiative by the health ministry to retool its hospitals.
Equipment worth US$23m, which included magnetic resonance imaging equipment, mammogram, image intensifiers (C-Arm), fixed digital X-ray machines, mobile digital X-Ray machines, anaesthetic machines, ophthalmic microscope, dental sets (dental chairs, dental X-Ray, and dental autoclave; vital signs monitors), Covid virtual hospital equipment, ventilators, theatre lights, multipara meter monitors and ultrasound scan machines was procured.
The Mutare NatPharm warehouse will house around 6 000 pallets of medicine and enhance the availability of health services by providing adequate storage for essential medicines and supplies
A total of 12 health facilities in Manicaland received the ultrasound scan machines as part of efforts to fight the maternal mortality rate.
The machines were distributed to rural district clinics in the province.
Government and its partners, through the Mhuri/Imuli Project built, upgraded and equipped a number of clinics and hospitals to offer better health care in line with SDG 3 that seeks to ensure health and well-being for all.
As a result, the infant mortality rate, which used to be high, was drastically reduced.
Makoni Rural District Council received devolution funds and channelled $7m to health related issues, with the Nzvimbe Clinic, which serves over 13 000 people who used to travel for 20km to either Nyamidzi or Mount Zuma Clinics, being its flagship.
The clinic, which was first mooted in the early 1980s, only came to fruition in 2020, thanks to President Mnangagwa’s devolution thrust.
In Buhera, more than 10 000 villagers are now benefiting from Mbundire Clinic, which was also constructed using devolution funds.
Beginning this year, Government has introduced a nursing school at Murambinda Mission Hospital to harness talent from the district.
Chimanimani Rural District Clinic upgraded Mhakwe Clinic and constructed Hotsprings Clinic to help ease the pressure on tens of thousands of villagers.
Nzvimbe clinic was constructed using devolution funds. The clinic serves over 13 000 people who used to travel for 20km to either Nyamidzi or Mount Zuma Clinics, to access medical services
Other signature projects, either completed or still under construction, include the US$6 million state-of-the-art National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) warehouse at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, Mabvazuva Poly-Clinic (Rusape), Chidazembe, Magadzire, Mt Jenya, Muparutsa, Nyamukwarara, Tsvingwe Clinics in Mutasa District, Zamuchiya, Chipangayi, Checheche and Maondere Clinics in Chipinge.
The Victoria Chitepo Natpham Warehouse will improve availability of drugs in the province. The warehouse will store up to 6 000 pallets of medicine.
To improve communication in disaster prone areas, Government installed Wi-Fi at Ngaone and Chichichi clinics in Chipinge for free use by health personnel and villagers.
In addition, about 405 healthcare facilities have since been equipped with solar systems by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Regina Coeli Mission Hospital in Nyanga being one of the province’s major referral hospitals that benefited under the arrangement.
Government, in conjunction with friendly countries like China, Russia and India, as well as development partners, implemented a Comprehensive National Preparedness and Response Strategic Plan to minimise the impact and reduce the risks of Covid-19.
Brick upon brick, Zimbabwe is developing
The Covid-19 pandemic impacted health systems globally since it was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in January 2020.
Various Covid-19 mitigation strategies such as lockdowns, curfews and stay-at-home policies were implemented to curb transmission.
When it comes to religious objectors, the liberalisation of some apostolic sect members’ health seeking behaviour is a major achievement.
Despite stringent doctrines, some women and children are now circumventing the barriers and seeking medical attention, thereby leading to positive changes in maternal and child health outcomes.
