The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
WALKING long distances to access health services is now a thing of the past for the Shekwa community in Chipinge East after the Ministry of Health and Child Care in partnership with United Church of Christ of Zimbabwe (UCCZ) established a satellite clinic there.
For long, the Shekwa community was walking distances of between 20 to 30 kilometers to access health services at Chikore Mission Hospital and Mount Selinda Hospital.
UCCZ offered part of its land for the construction of the new clinic and also took part in mobilising resources with the help of the community.
In an interview during the recent official opening of the clinic, UCCZ administrator, Reverend Dakarai Makoto hailed the community for working hard to ensure the success of the project.
“The Shekwa community was trailing behind in accessing health services. Many people in this community succumbed to deaths that could have been avoided due to lack of health facilities.
“The community mooted this idea of building a clinic using the available resources and the church embraced the idea. The community provided labour and moulded the bricks. We chipped in with other resources.
“We hope the community will continue supporting this noble project until we have a fully fledged clinic,” said Rev Makoto.
Speaking during the same event, Acting Chipinge District Medical Officer, Dr Lovemore Sithole said the Ministry of Health and Child Care has already seconded staff members to work at the new clinic.
“The new clinic will be a satellite clinic of Chikore Mission Hospital, and we have seconded a seven-member team to run operations at the clinic.
“Since it is still a satellite clinic, we will not be offering all services offered by other clinics, but we hope the situation will improve in the near future,” said Dr Sithole.
Village head Simon Seshekwa hailed his subjects for putting their shoulders on the wheel to ensure the success of the project.
