Sukulwenkosi Dube Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has opened a maternity waiting home at Ingwizi Clinic in Mangwe District as part of efforts to improve maternal and child health care services in rural communities.

Speaking recently during the official opening of the facility, Plumtree District Medical Officer, Dr Langalokusa Sibanda, said the maternity home was constructed under the Ministry’s Results Based Financing Programme.

The Results Based Funding programme, which was recently launched in 18 districts in the country, seeks to improve maternal and child health care services.

Ingwizi Clinic Health Centre Committee chairperson, Mr Leonard Mtshazo, said the maternity waiting home will help eliminate challenges faced by expecting mothers.

“Ingwizi Clinic has been operating without a maternity waiting home which was making it difficult for expecting mothers as the institution couldn’t accommodate them before delivering. This made it difficult for women staying far from the clinic.

“As a result, some women were delivering their babies at their homes while others were forced to travel to Brunapeg Hospital. Now that the maternity home has been opened it means that cases of home deliveries will be reduced,” he said.

Mr Mtshazo said the maternity waiting home will accommodate eight women at a time. He said there was a need to expand the maternity home to cater for more women.

A prize giving ceremony for clinics in Mangwe District was also held on the same day.

Bango Clinic received $250 and a trophy for being the best managed health institution. Empandeni Clinic received $175 after coming second while Ingwizi Clinic received $125 for being the most improved health facility.

Last year, Bango Clinic was also deemed to be the best maternal and child health care services provider out of 10 other rural health centres in the district.

The awards are held every year by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in conjunction with the Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid) under the Results Based Financing (RBF) Programme which seeks to ensure that funds that are released to health centres are put to good use.

In an interview after the ceremony, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Obedingwa Mguni, who was the guest of honour, urged health personnel at Government facilities to offer services that match private health institutions.

“Clients that come to Government health facilities should get satisfactory service delivery which they might be getting from private health centres despite prevailing challenges. You have to utilise the available resources and perform to your level best as the lives of many people are in your hands.

“I would like to applaud the health centres that were awarded with prizes. On the same note I would also like to urge the rest of the health care centres to strive towards being the best,” he said. — @DubeMatutu

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