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Nqobile Tshili

[email protected]

ABOUT 3 500 vulnerable pregnant women in Bulawayo have benefitted from the Government’s voucher system, which enables them to access maternal health care to reduce maternal, and neonatal child deaths.

The women received health care from January to March under the Results Based Finance (RBF) programme being rolled out in Bulawayo and Harare.

The intervention is being implemented following a partnership between the Government, the World Bank and Cordaid, an international organisation that is the implementer in the country.

A total of 14 clinics across Bulawayo are implementing the RBF programme where underprivileged pregnant women buy vouchers at nominal fees to access maternal health services.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) said the subsidy programme has positively impacted on the lives and health of vulnerable women affording them an opportunity to access free maternal services.

The council said the programme is providing some equity and improved service delivery in the municipality run clinics. It has led to improvement of infrastructure in the council-run clinics, as well as improved provision of medicines. Staff working at clinics also receive incentives.

BCC revealed the success of the programme in the latest council minutes and showed that the majority  of beneficiaries are from Cowdray suburb followed by Nkulumane Clinic.

According to the latest council minutes, 556 pregnant women benefited from the programme from Cowdray Park Clinic, 478 at Nkulumane Clinic, 313 at Magwegwe Clinic, 303 at Nketa Clinic and 283 at Pelandaba Clinic.

At Entumbane Clinic, 265 benefitted from the programme, 256 at Pumula Clinic, 235 at Mzilikazi Clinic, 191 at  Maqhawe Clinic 191, 128 at Tshabalala Clinic , 121 at Mpopoma Clinic, 110 at Northend Clinic and  45 Dr Shennan Clinic.

The council said it recorded a seven percent increase in the number of vulnerable women who benefitted from the programme this year compared to last year.

“A total of 3497 beneficiaries were assessed and enrolled into the programme during the quarter under review as compared to the 3264 in the previous quarter. The areas that recorded the highest number of beneficiaries were Cowdray Park (556), Nkulumane (478) and Nketa (309) whereas Dr Shennan (45) and Northend (110) had the least number of beneficiaries,” reads the minutes.

Cowdray Park has successively recorded the highest number of beneficiaries. This was partly due to its expansive nature and the fact that it is a suburb resided by a fairly young population.”

The subsidy programme had impacted positively on the lives and health of vulnerable women in the city by affording them an opportunity to access free maternal services, providing some equity and improved service delivery.

“The RBF programme was an urban maternity voucher programme that was targeted at vulnerable girls and women. Activities that were done during the quarter under review included assessment and registration of beneficiaries. Eligible beneficiaries were issued with vouchers which they redeemed at participating health facilities,” reads the council minutes.

-@nqotshili