The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
A RELIGIOUS non-profit making organisation, Union for Development of Apostolic and Zionist Churches (UDACIZA) through its free mobile pharmacy recently distributed medicines to diabetic patients in Makoni District.
At least 300 Rukweza villagers benefitted from the programme.
The programme is co-funded by the Ministry of Defence Forces and War Veterans Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The mobile pharmacy has been going around the province delivering free prescribed medicines to members of apostolic and zionist churches.
In an interview, UDACIZA vice-chairperson for the Manicaland chapter, Reverend Prosper Sithole, said the mobile pharmacy programme follows the realisation that despite having health centres and clinics near most communities, most pharmacies do not have drugs, forcing villagers to travel to urban areas to buy expensive drugs.
Reverend Sithole said the free mobile pharmacy was an initiative aimed at awarding community members free access to medication.
He said they were also complimenting Government’s efforts to ensure quality health services to everyone.
“We are complimenting Government’s development efforts and ensuring that our elderly and ailing in rural areas get the medication that they need. More than 300 members of the community benefited today and we are expecting more villagers to benefit during our next visit to a place that is yet to be selected.
“While going around the province, we are also raising awareness among apostolic and Zion church members that they should seek health services at clinics, health centres and hospitals when in need, and not wait for spiritual healing,” he said.
Reverend Sithole also said they were raising awareness against child marriages during their outreach programmes.
He also said the medicine was being distributed to prescribed patients with prescriptions.
Ms Mavis Macheka (70) of Rujeko Village who was part of the beneficiaries thanked UDACIZA for the gesture, stating that the medicines she received would help lessen her burden in terms of expenses.
“While I can afford the bus fare to either Mutare or Rusape, I cannot afford to buy the medicines. The medicines that I have received here will last me a month and that means I will have to buy my next prescription around mid-January and I am sure, I would have raised enough money to buy the medicine,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Crispen Murahwa thanked the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for being part of the outreach programme.
“This just shows that Government and our armed forces have us at heart. For some of us who do not have children to buy the medicine for us in our old age, this is a relief. We hope this good gesture continues,” he said.
