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Fungi Kwaramba, Harare Bureau
TOWARDS universal access to health, every district in the country will have quality healthcare services that come with the latest equipment and specialist medical officers, President Mnangagwa has said.

This can be achieved through partnerships between Government and the private sector which is critical in the attainment of Vision 2030, to become an upper middle-class economy, as articulated in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Enabling the private sector to flourish, the Second Republic has created a favourable operating environment that has seen investors not only coming to Zimbabwe but also established companies reaping huge dividends.

One such company is platinum mining giant Zimplats, that has responded to President Mnangagwa’s call for the private sector to plough back to communities as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes.

Yesterday, President Mnangagwa was in Mhondoro where he commissioned a refurbished Mubaira Rural Hospital. Zimplats constructed and equipped a new theatre, staff accommodation, a laundry facility, a borehole and a new maternity ward at the hospital.

In his address to thousands of Zanu-PF supporters after touring the facility, President Mnangagwa said his administration will continue to build hospitals and clinics in every part of the country.

“My Government remains committed to scaling up responsive measures towards ensuring efficient and quality service delivery in the health sector.

“These include building and upgrading health facilities across the country to ensure equitable access and reduction of walking distance by our communities.

“My Government is scaling up health worker training by increasing the number of training schools as well as the intake of trainees. Primary Care Nurse training has since been re-introduced.
“Meanwhile, I commend our village health workers who are in the frontline of health delivery in rural areas. The acquisition of ambulances, medical consumables, drugs and other accessories is ongoing,” said the President.

Through devolution and decentralisation, billions of dollars have been channelled towards the country’s health sector with that apparent in almost every district where clinics have been built or refurbished.
As part of modernisation of the sector, solar systems for power back-up have been installed in over 1 000 health facilities throughout the country.

“As we appreciate this generous gesture by Zimplats, I want to challenge other private sector companies to take a leaf from the outstanding work we are witnessing here today.

“To this end, the Second Republic welcomes private-public partnerships which complement my Government’s efforts towards strengthening our health delivery system and increasing the spread of our health facilities across provinces and districts,” added the President.

He commended Zimplats and urged the company to develop more innovative programmes that guarantee world class health facilities.
“In doing so, interventions in the health system must incorporate people’s needs and priorities, while complementing the thrust of the devolution and decentralisation agenda, which we are championing as the Second Republic.

“To further help accelerate the achievement of outcomes of universal health coverage, stakeholders in the health and pharmaceutical sector must also develop and adopt supply chains that are responsive to community needs and the overall national development ethos,” said President Mnangagwa.

Communities, he said, must maintain healthy lifestyles through exercising, eating well and practising good personal hygiene.
The President has said health is central to human happiness since healthy populations live longer and contribute more to economic development.

This is in sync with the collective national vision and also in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063 and vital towards Universal Health Coverage.

President Mnangagwa said as the country readies for this year’s elections, whose dates would be announced towards the end of next month, Zimbabweans must preserve the prevailing peace, before, during and after polls.

“Violence has no place in our villages, wards and districts. It must be rejected in whatever form. In unity, love and harmony; let us continue to work hard towards modernising, industrialising and growing our economy.

“Brick by brick, stone upon stone, step by step, we should never tire to create a better and prosperous future, while building the Zimbabwe we want.”

The President was accompanied by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, Zanu-PF Vice-President Cde Kembo Mohadi, Minister of Defence and War Veterans Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Zanu-PF Politburo member Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials.

Ahead of this year’s elections, President Mnangagwa has been consistent in his call for peace, denouncing all forms of violence.