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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

VILLAGERS in Beitbridge West constituency in Whunga, Ward 10 have pooled resources to construct a clinic as some of them are walking more than 20 kilometres to the nearest clinic.

A number of stakeholders including the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Cde Ruth Maboyi, who is also the Member of Parliament for the area, are mobilising materials and manpower.

Simbisa Brands, The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), sons and daughters of Whunga as well as the business community have moved in to complement the villagers’ efforts.

The initiative dovetails with the Second Republic’s philosophy that “ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo” (Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo).
Some people are walking more than 20km to access health care services, a distance that is more than twice the maximum distance recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to WHO standards, people should not walk more than 8km to access primary healthcare facilities.
Whunga Clinic construction chairman Mr Ratang Muleya said villagers received a donation of US$7 500 from Simbisa Brands and the building was now at roof level.

“We have pooled resources and are getting assistance from various stakeholders, including Simbisa Brands, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), sons and daughters of Whunga and the business community,” said Mr Muleya.

He said the ZNA seconded builders to the project.
“This clinic will serve seven villages in addition to others from Gwanda South District in the Ngoma area,” said Mr Muleya.

He said the project was initiated in 2021 but work progressed at slow pace due to resource constraints.
Mr Muleya said the community moulded bricks and provided free labour.

Simbisa Brands’ Beitbridge manager, Mr Frank Mudau said: “We have decided to partner the community in this development project as part of our social responsibility programme.”

He said his company was complementing the community’s efforts to improve people’s access to health facilities.
Mr Mudau said Simbisa Brands started with one branch in 1988 and now has more than 240 outlets across the country because of support from communities.

He said infrastructure development needs collective effort and urged other corporates to support such projects.
Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC), head of social and health services, Ms Ratang Muyambo said the completion of the Whunga Clinic will bring to 13 clinics under his council.

“We appreciate the community and the corporate world, especially Simbisa Brands’ participation in this project,” said Ms Muyambo.

Mr Muyambo said council committed funds in its 2023 budget to ensure that the clinic is completed and starts operating this year.

“At the end of the year, we will be having 13 clinics under the council area and our long term plan is to have at least two clinics in each ward”, he said.

Cde Maboyi said she will also use the same (Whunga Clinic) model to construct a secondary school at the Muthangamutshena area in Ward 12.

“We are going to have such projects in all the wards where we organise ourselves and make contributions to fund the construction of key infrastructure,” she said.

The development comes a few days after residents of Beitbridge town undertook to raise R200 000 to fix eight grounded vehicles at the local district hospital in the next three months.

Among the vehicles to be fixed by the Friends of Beitbridge Trust, are five ambulances and three services vehicles. So far they have repaired two ambulances – a Mazda B2200 and a Toyota Land Cruiser – which have been handed over to the health institution. — @tupeyo