Staff Reporter

CHIRUMANZU – After years of traveling long distances to access healthcare, residents of Mudzengi in Ward 16 Chirumanzu can now breathe a sigh of relief after Mudzengi Clinic opened its doors bringing medical care closer to home.

The devolution and Chirumanzu Rural District Council funded clinic comprises an outpatient block, maternity ward, Ante-Natal Care room, solar system, staff houses, perimetre fence and solar powered borehole which supply potable water.

For the more than 3 000 residents of Chiodza, Mahamara, Chishuku and Utah, the new clinic is a game-changer as they will no longer have to travel to Mvuma General Hospital and other healthcare facilities to access healthcare.

Chirumanzu RDC chairperson Thembinkosi Nyoni Miti said construction of the clinic started in 2022 and was completed on November 30 this year.

“Before the construction of the clinic, villagers travelled long distances of about 30km to  Mvuma General Hospital or the clinic in Lalapanzi.

“There are more than 5 000 people here in resettlement areas traveling long distances so they access health services but because we have commissioned Mudzengi Clinic, I am certain that it will make their lives easier,” Miti said.

As the clinic started serving the community on the day, villagers expressed their gratitude and relief.

“This clinic is a blessing,” said Jairos Turika.

“I came here for the commissioning but started feeling unwell and I have been the first person to get treated here.

“We didn’t have a medical facility for some time and we are happy we now have a clinic.”

Turika said their catchment area has four Wards of people who were travelling to Mvuma, Lalapanzi and Chivhu for medical assistance.

Tinos Zengeya said people were paying large sums of money to travel to Kwekwe, Lalapnazi, Mvuma and Bob Swift before they had this clinic.

“We look forward for this clinic to be converted into a referral centre because it has a big catchment area; for example I am from ward 12 and this clinic is in ward 16,” he said.

Chengeto Chimbunde said the area last year recorded incidents of infant mortality and other villagers who were dying due to lack of healthcare.

“Women who had pregnancy complications would give birth to dead babies. Some would get to the medical facilities when it is too late and be told that unborn babies have foetal distress and die due to late attendance.

“We are happy that now that we have a clinic we will have live births,” she said.

Chief Chirumanzu, real name Fidelis Mudzengi said the clinic had come to the aid of his people and the surrounding areas.

“People will simply walk to the clinic than to start by looking for transport fares first before thinking about traveling to a medical facility.

“This clinic will help people access health services timeously so I thank the President with his devolution agenda which has resulted in us getting this clinic.”

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube who commissioned the clinic said he had been briefed about the challenges of electricity, linen, Information Commumication Technology equipment, and waiting mother’s shelter among others which Mudzengi Clinic is currently facing.

“I commit my Office to speedily address them through mobilization of the locally available material and human resources as we did during the construction of this clinic. Failure is not an option,” he said.

New Ziana