Locals hail new clinic Sarah Maregere

Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

Pregnant women who used to travel long distances to deliver their babies are all smiles as the Second Republic has brought maternal healthcare to their doorsteps in Harare’s Stoneridge high-density suburb.

For years, locals used to travel to either Harare or Chitungwiza to access health, but that is now all in the past after President Mnangagwa officially opened a state-of-the-art clinic, which start taking patients today, Friday last week.

The 22-bed health centre with inpatient facilities, maternity, x-ray amenities, accommodation for health personnel, outpatient, incinerator and mortuary will see locals saving time as well as transport costs.

Apart from having health delivered at near their homes, residents of Harare South, home to at least 100 000 people, also benefited as they were employed in the construction of the facility.

Our news crew yesterday visited the new health facility and interacted with the beneficiaries who expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa’s led administration.

A beneficiary, Mrs Tsitsi Chasi who has since been employed as a caretaker at the institution said the clinic brought relief.

“We are glad that there is a maternity section as we had challenges of women that were giving birth in homes. Some still-born children would die or their mothers.

“With the opening of the clinic we are glad that lives will be saved. Thanks to our listening Government our wish is that they also construct a school and rehabilitate roads in the area,” she said.
Mrs Confidence Chimumvuri who is pregnant, just like her name was full of ‘confidence’ of being among the first women that will deliver at the new health centre.

“I am more than delighted with the construction of the hospital. We just hope and pray that this kind of development continues in our country.

“All pregnant women were registering at Tariro clinic in Hopley, but sadly there are no facilities to deliver so we would be referred to Machipisa in Highfield when giving birth,” she said.

Mr Cuthbert Rugoto, a resident in Stoneridge since 2016 said locals used to walk long distances to access medical care.

“The nearest health care facility was at Tariro clinic, but they were offering less services as most of the time we would be referred to other institutions like Parirenyatwa Hospital.

“The challenge was that of transport costs to visit such health facilities. That burden has been taken away from us and we are more than grateful to the Government,” he said.

Mr Mugove Koga also expressed gratitude for the new health facility.

“It is a blessing to us as we are now getting medical facilities closer home. We used to access medical services to areas including Hopley, Waterfalls, Chitungwiza and Highfield. We thank the Government for the intervention,” he said.

Mrs Primrose Simoko who stays just a stone’s throw away from the hospital said this was a huge relief to

the community as they used to struggle to get health facilities.
“This is a good initiative as we are receiving medical facilities at home. There is no burden of transport costs,” she said.

Mr Innocent Mubvumbi was grateful for the construction of the health institution saying as locals they now have convenient health facilities.

Mrs Sarah Maregere said the hospital will assist them save time and costs as they used to travel long distances including Chitungwiza Hospital to access basic health facilities.

A female security guard who was manning the clinic yesterday said the institution set to operate 24 hours will be open to the public starting today.

“There are doctors and nurses coming from Parirenyatwa and Chitungwiza Hospitals that are coming tomorrow (today) to start work.

“Once they are here the clinic will be operational as everything else is in order,” she said.
Construction of the clinic is in line with the vision of the Second Republic to undertake a massive infrastructure development and social investment programme aimed at transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle income society by 2030.

Under the NDS1, the building of world class infrastructure and provision of key social services have been identified as key enablers for sustainable socio-economic development.

The hospitals are being built to very similar plans on turnkey contracts, under which structural works and the provision of the equipment are all done together.

The Stoneridge health centre facility was designed and built by locals.

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