Huge relief for expecting mothers

09 Apr, 2021 - 00:04 0 Views
Huge relief for expecting mothers Chikukwa Waiting Mothers’ Shelter

The ManicaPost

Tendai Gukutikwa

Post Correspondent

VILLAGERS in Chimanimani East have welcomed the commissioning of the Chikukwa Waiting Mothers’ Shelter at the biggest clinic in the area, saying the move will help pregnant women to have easy access to antenatal care facilities.

The facility was commissioned last week on Wednesday.

It was constructed at a cost of over $1,6 million by Lafarge.

The shelter can accommodate more than 20 expecting mothers at any given time and it also has a separate laundry and cooking area.

The opening of the waiting mothers’ shelter at Chikukwa Clinic will help in the reduction of maternal, neo-natal mortality as well as home deliveries.

Although Chimanimani District has other bigger referral hospitals like Mutambara, Rusitu or Biriiri mission hospitals, Chimanimani East legislator, Cde Joshua Sacco, said Chikukwa Clinic serves as the referral centre for many health centres in the area, with some people from neighbouring Mozambique also relying on the facility.

The clinic serves more than 4 000 Zimbabwean villagers and Mozambicans.

He said owing to the large catchment area that the clinic serves, it should also be upgraded to a hospital in the near future.

“It is a key health post within Chimanimani East because people come from as far as Hangani Village and some parts of Mozambique,” said Cde Sacco.

One of the expecting mothers who spoke to The Manica Post, Ms Chipo Karidza of Hangani Village, said she stays about 50km from Chikukwa Clinic and was having challenges accessing antenatal care in the past.

“We do not have a clinic in Hangani Village. We walk to Chikukwa Clinic because the roads are bad. Not even a scotch-cart can navigate its way on this road. I also have Mozambican friends who rely on this clinic,” she said.

Another pregnant woman, Mrs Maria Katandika, stays just across the border in Mozambique and was renting a room in Chikukwa Village to be closer to the health facility.

She said the opening of the mother’s shelter is sweet news.

“We were being charged exorbitant rentals in the temporary shelters we are staying. Most of us cannot afford the bus fare to travel either to Manica or Chimoio for ante-natal care,” she said.

The expecting mothers were being charged rentals of US$10 per month by locals

Share This:

Sponsored Links

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds