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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) have handed over a completed Sherwood Clinic in Kwekwe built by its artisans as part of its community assistance and corporate social responsibility.

The clinic, a stones throw from President Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm, was expanded and now has a maternity ward which can accommodate 12 expectant mothers. It also has an executive ward, laundry house, a waiting shelter for expectant mothers and kitchen as well as staff houses.

The clinic now has a state-of-the-art equipment and furniture as well as a brand-new ambulance that will service the entire Sherwood community.

The expansion project was initially funded by Zibagwe Rural District Council which channelled nearly ZW$12 million of its devolution funds.

Gransharp Private Limited, a local mining company, then stepped in to partner the local authority.

The ZDF came in with technical expertise while the community led by Ward 31 Councillor Tichafa Chitate provided labour.

Gransharp funded the construction of the laundry house, 400m precast wall, septic tank, landscaping among others.

It also catered for the rehabilitation of staff houses and the mothers waiting shelter.

The company also donated an ambulance and pledged to pay the paramedic team to operate the ambulance for a year.

Officially commissioning the clinic, Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Senator Larry Maxima urged other local authorities to emulate the partnership.

“I urge the rest of the local authorities to borrow a leaf from the model we have witnessed here today. Over-dependence on devolution funds only limits the scope of our interventions. Let us innovate and engage in private public partnerships to enhance capital inflows for project implementation,” said Minister Mavima.

He said the active role played by the community by gathering locally available human and material resources was in line with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 which is anchored on broad based citizenry participation in national and socio-economic development programs.

He hailed the ZDF for providing technical personnel who played a critical role in the construction of the maternity ward.

“The quality of work that has been produced here speaks volumes about the high levels of commitment to duty and professionalism by our ZDF officers who have worked on several projects in various parts of the Midlands province and the country at large,” he said.

Commander 5 Infantry Brigade Brigadier General Simo Maseko said the ZDF remains committed to uplifting lives of people in areas it operates.

He said they have introduced a free medical outreach programme for the community.

“We have already started a free medical outreach programme which started on 20 September 2020 and is going to run up to 23 September. We are providing free medical examinations to members of the public and also give free medication to patients as part of our community assistance,” said Brig Gen Maseko.

Although the ZDF has other running projects in the province like construction of bridges and classroom blocks, it has prioritised the construction and revamping of health facilities.

Plans are afoot also to handover Tongogara Polyclinic which is now at an advanced stage of completion.
Gransharp general manager, Mr Nyasha Chinjeke said their gesture was necessitated by the need to complement Government efforts to revamp the health sector.

“We want to continue complementing Government efforts and we remain optimistic that our efforts will help the Government and the country to attain the envisaged Vision 2030 with a strong functioning health sector,” he said.