Story by Tamuka Charakupa
GOVERNMENT has intensified efforts to improve healthcare access in remote communities in Mashonaland West Province following the commissioning of new vehicles to strengthen emergency response and outreach services.
A total of six vehicles and 70 solar-powered tricycles have been deployed across the province, with three earmarked for immunisation outreach programmes in Sanyati, Zvimba and Chegutu.
Hard-to-reach Siakobvu has received a fully equipped ambulance, alongside a US$20 000 allocation to support fuel costs, in a move expected to significantly improve emergency response times.
The fleet also includes an emergency response vehicle and a truck dedicated to oxygen distribution, enhancing the province’s capacity to deliver critical healthcare services.
Administration Assistant at Siakobvu District Hospital, Mr Telar Godzi, welcomed the development.
“We welcome this ambulance as a life-saving intervention that will significantly reduce response times and bridge the access gap for our hard-to-reach communities. This capacitation of our local health services brings renewed hope, dignity, and assurance that no one in Siakobvu will be left behind in accessing critical medical care.”
Provincial Medical Director, Dr Celestino Dhege, said the development marks a significant step forward in strengthening service delivery.
“The commissioning of these vehicles is a major boost to service delivery, strengthening immunisation outreach in Sanyati, Chegutu and Zvimba, enhancing emergency response capacity, and improving access to critical care in hard-to-reach areas like Siakobvu. This capacitation will ensure timely patient transfers, efficient oxygen distribution across the province, and ultimately better health outcomes in line with the vision of leaving no one and no place behind.”
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Marian Chombo said, strengthening health systems remains central to achieving national development goals.
“This significant milestone aligns with President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, a bold vision to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by the year 2030. As a government, we commend the support we have been getting from our various development partners, who are supporting our health programmes, such as the GAVI Alliance, who have been rendering support to the immunisation programme.
“As I hand over these vehicles, I urge the Provincial Medical Director and his team to utilise them effectively to enhance the integration of prevention programmes. This will undoubtedly lead to improved immunisation rates, better management of non-communicable diseases, and a more robust response to health emergencies.”
Complementing the fleet are 70 solar-powered tricycles, expected to improve mobility for health workers and expand access to essential services in remote communities. The development is set to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve emergency response and enhance access to essential medical services across the province.
