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Victor Maphosa recently in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe

Devolution funds have seen the completion of Nyagande Clinic in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe Zvataida Rural District Council.

Work started in the 1990s and was then stalled for lack of funding.

The coming in of the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has seen stalled projects being funded and work resuming, with some already completed and commissioned, as Government leaves no one and no place behind in the development wave.

When the Second Republic came into office, the Constitutional requirement for devolution was made active and devolution funds were budgeted for, received Parliamentary approval and were then passed to local authorities.

The councils, at least in rural areas, consulted communities to find the top priorities and channelled the funds accordingly, to what the people wanted and needed.

After receiving its allocation, UMP Zvataida RDC used part of the funds towards finishing Nyagande Clinic in Ward 17, with the full approval of the community who were having to walk more than 20km to the next clinic.

The potential patients of this clinic thanked Government, their local authority and also Zanu PF legislator for Maramba Pfungwe constituency Cde Tichaona Karumazondo for channelling resources towards the construction of the clinic.

Village health worker Mrs Marovatsanga from Kapondoro village said she was happy that now she would be reporting for duty nearby.

She noted that when health institutions were close by, communities became safe.

“It is hard for us health workers to efficiently work when health institutions are far away,” she said. “This clinic is a game changer for the people of Nyagande. People are loosing their lives because the next clinic is very far from here.

“I am grateful to the Second Republic and our President for this clinic. We appeal to authorities to quickly open it so that a lot of lives may be saved. Opening of this clinic is very crucial for us, and the community at large.”

Mr Brighton Karima said the opening of the clinic will bring a major relief to the community.

“We started the construction of this clinic some years back and progress was stalled due to several challenges which include lack of funds,” he said. “As a community, we had seen our challenges of walking for long distances to the next clinic, so we decided, to gather resources and built a clinic in this village.

“However, progress was very slow, and later on, our council came in and gave us assistance which have seen construction resuming and today, the clinic structure is complete. I want to thank Government for availing devolution funds used on this clinic.”

UMP Zvataida RDC acting chief executive officer Mr Masimba Goustino said now that the clinic structure was almost complete, the council will fund the construction of staff houses.

He thanked Government and President Mnangagwa for devolution funds.