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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu Bulawayo Bureau

AFTER years of walking over 30km to the nearest health facility, villagers in Bulilima District decided it was time to play their part as a progressive community and build one central clinic.

Through a US$10 contribution from each of the 600 households in Plumtree, Matabeleland South Province, villagers bought foundational building material for Gambu Rural Health Centre.

Within months, the determined villagers had attracted the attention of locals in the diaspora, donors and international organisations who came with additional funding to help them achieve their dream.

Their efforts impressed Rotary Clubs from Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia, that donated state-of-the-art medical equipment which will enable villagers to access specialist dentistry, laboratory, maternity and scans.

The development flies in the face of a derogatory reference to the rural area that was previously known as “Komnyama Ubambile” (a place of darkness), due to lack of development.

Officially opening the clinic on Thursday, Acting President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Health and Child Care Minister, said communities like Gambu were all the Government needed to achieve Vision 2030.

He “confessed” that the equipment in the rural centre could not be found in a majority of district hospitals across the country.

The Acting President said the clinic is a milestone in Government’s thrust to improve health access to Zimbabweans.

“I am informed that the health centre we commissioned today is a product of the vision by the people of Gambu, Matjinge, who embraced the mantra that ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Hango inobakwa nebeni bayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo’, which is what our President, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa always challenges us to do.

On that note, I would want to applaud the community for such a sterling job, working tirelessly in the construction of their clinic,” he said.

“I have been briefed that you started this project all by yourselves working with the diaspora community and were making contributions at household level, including buying the building material. You were motivated to do so because the nearest health centres are far from your area.”

Acting President Chiwenga said Government commended Bulilima District Council, the diaspora community and the Rotary Clubs for making the project a success.

He said Gambu is part of the five health centres that have been constructed within the district, although the other four are yet to be commissioned early next year.

He urged other local communities to emulate and emulate the Gambu initiative as it will help build Zimbabwe.

“The Government continues to improve healthcare services and procurement of 28 buses for central, district and provincial hospitals has been completed. In the year 2023 the Ministry will focus on re-equipping and refurbishing of our hospitals and clinics including tiling, paving plumbing and ensure there is constant water supply,” he said.

Acting President Chiwenga said 32 ambulances were procured and distributed this year.

The state-of-the-art equipment at Gambu Rural Health Centre has occupied all the space at the clinic which has forced the community to expand by building two wards to accommodate patients who may need overnight monitoring.

To that end, Acting President Chiwenga donated US$1 000 and challenged the community to continue innovating as they had proved to be unstoppable.

Project leader Mr Paul Khumalo said he was proud of his community and how far they had come in building their own state-of-the-art clinic.

“We used to walk a maximum of 32km to and from the nearest health facility which was too much to bear. Women would deliver on the road and some villagers would develop deadly complications after failing to access healthcare services.

“We then decided to do something while awaiting responsible authorities. We started with a once-off US$10 or R100 contribution from each of our 600 households.

“The money only saw us construct the footing, but the initiative planted a seed whose fruits we are reaping today, seven years later. We later realised that we needed more and that is how we found ourselves getting help from the Rotary Clubs in Plumtree and Bulawayo and other donors from Germany,” said Mr Khumalo.

He said locals who had relocated to South Africa and other countries played a huge role in getting donors for the community.

“We are grateful to our people for being dedicated and to our leaders who gladly chipped in when they realised we were serious about constructing a clinic which will serve us and our children for years to come,” he added.

An ecstatic Ms Sukoluhle Baloyi (54) said it was humbling to have Acting President Chiwenga officially open their clinic.

She said the health facility is an answered prayer for women who used to deliver at home or on the way to a health facility.

“We are happy to see senior Government officials in our area commending our efforts which saw us constructing this clinic. Before we had this clinic expectant mothers would walk long distances to nearest facilities sometimes leaving home in the wee hours of the morning so that they get to the clinic before 4pm. The distances also discouraged the elderly from seeking health services on time, hence our joy today.”

She commended the community for sacrificing hard earned cash to build the clinic.

“Our families will now have easy access to healthcare, especially children who easily catch diseases. We are also grateful for the state-of-the-art equipment which was only found in private institutions. We will now be able to have our teeth removed and our blood tests conducted right here in the rural areas.”