By Tapiwa Chawagarira
HARARE — The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) and United Family International Church (UFIC) are deepening their partnership in improving access to healthcare for inmates, officers and their dependants, with the church rolling out another free medical outreach at the Harare Central Prison Complex.
The latest outreach, which covered Harare Central Prison, Harare Remand Prison and the Dependants’ Clinic, provided a range of services including general medical assessments, dental treatment, scans and lump-removal procedures.
The initiative, which is now in its third consecutive year, is part of UFIC’s ongoing community health interventions and was held in connection with celebrations marking Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa’s belated birthday on September 4.
The programme provided an opportunity for members of the prison community to access medical attention without the financial burden often associated with specialised healthcare services.
Harare Central Prison Deputy Officer-in-Charge, Superintendent Farai Muwodzeri, welcomed the intervention, saying such programmes were important in complementing healthcare services available within correctional institutions.
“I appreciate the UFIC medical team for this outreach programme. I urge all inmates, officers, and dependants to undergo medical screenings and seek medical attention where necessary,” he said.
ZPCS Harare Metropolitan Provincial Medical Officer, Dr Itai Vengesai, said the partnership was contributing to Government’s broader efforts to safeguard the health and welfare of people within correctional facilities.
“As a Health Department, we are grateful to partner with UFIC in providing much-needed medical services to the community we serve. We hope this partnership will continue every year,” said Dr Vengesai.
He said continued collaboration between correctional institutions and organisations willing to provide medical expertise and resources could help widen access to healthcare, particularly for vulnerable members of the prison community.
UFIC Head of Health Department, Dr Wilfred Muteweye, said the church remained committed to supporting people who might struggle to access healthcare services.
“This partnership will go a long way in providing healthcare services to inmates who are underprivileged,” said Dr Muteweye.
The outreach also brought together healthcare professionals who attended to beneficiaries through different stations, allowing inmates, officers and dependants to receive screening and treatment under one programme.
The continuation of the initiative for a third year points to an increasingly sustained relationship between ZPCS and UFIC, with the two institutions working together beyond the traditional boundaries of correctional services to address the welfare needs of inmates and their families.
The partnership is expected to continue with the UFIC medical team scheduled to conduct another outreach at Chikurubi Prison Complex, extending the free healthcare programme to more members of the correctional community.
For ZPCS, such collaborations complement its correctional mandate by placing greater emphasis on the rehabilitation and welfare of inmates while also supporting the wellbeing of officers and their dependants.
