More Health Facilities Needed In Rural Areas

By Martha Leboho

Villagers in Zaka West still looking through the window, expecting a health facility in their area as they walk a 10km distance to access a health care.

Recently the minister of finance and economic development Mthuli Ncube told gathering in Bulawayo that they have surpassed the 15 percent Abuja declaration towards the health sector yet people from Zaka have gone for decades without access to one.

Speaking at the commissioning of Bvumbura dip tank, Ward 17 councillor Crispen Watadza said they are looking forward to having a health facility as this will help over 600 households.

“We are very happy that we have a dip tank now, but we are also in need of a secondary school and a clinic, villagers here walk long distances of close to 10km to access health care services” said Watadza.

Zaka West Legislator, Ophias Murambiwa commissioned a ZWL $1million  Dip tank for Ward 17 villagers as one of the 100day cycle projects spearheaded by the President, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Murambiwa said the project will serve generations to come as a black man’s wealth is measured through livestock.

“This project was done in less than three months and we named the dip tank after Bvumbura mountain. This dip tank will serve the community from walking long distances for their livestock to be dipped.

Despite the fact that both people and their livestock were at high risk and forced to walk more than 10km to dip their livestocks, their health is also a cause for concern.

On the dip tank, Hon Murambiwa said they have used $1million from their Constituency development Funds (CDF)

The province lost more than 4000 livestock, and with the commissioning of Bvumbura dip tank will save if villagers constantly take their cttle for dipping.

Villigers are expecting more of development and a pity to constituencies without representation as they can’t access the CDF.

A villager, Esnath Musunda said it is worrisome that expecting mothers the elder are walking such a long distance to the nearest clinic at this day and age and even to access other required services such as dipping of cattle.

This is the case in most rural areas and resources are expected to be channeled towards infrastructural development in the rural areas.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe chapter 29 section 1 states that the State must take all practical measures to ensure there is provision of basic, accessible and adequate health services throughout Zimbabwe.

Health facilities are not accessible to people in rural areas, who comprise two third of the population of the country.