Story by Tamuka Charakupa
DEVOLUTION funds have come in handy in Chipinge where the Rural District council is constructing staff quarters at all health facilities in the area.
Zamchiya Clinic in Chipinge South, which lies on the border with neighbouring Mozambique, is being transformed into a modern health facility after the construction of new staff quarters courtesy of devolution funds.
Nurse-in-charge at the facility, Sister Sarah Mapungwana and fellow community members have welcomed the move which dovetails with government’s policy of inclusive development.
“We have a catchment of over 11 thousand people. We serve the local communities as well as some from Mozambique. We are grateful because we now have decent accommodation for the staff. More so, we have solarised water systems as well as hot water for our waiting mothers,” she said.
“Our clinic is way far from the city centre. We are at the border line but we are witnessing development cascading to all corners of the country. We want to thank government for rolling out the devolution programme leaving no one and no place behind,” said one of the residence.
Another added, “We are grateful for government’s intervention at this facility. As the local community we are impressed by the rate of development here considering that our nurses were staying in old buildings. We are have that most of the medicines we need are being supplied to us.”
Chipinge Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr Blessing Mamvosha gave an update on health-related projects completed in the area under the Second Republic’s devolution programme.
“Chipinge Rural District Council has a total of twenty-two health facilities. We came to a realisation that while structures are in place there was a gap in terms of staff quarters. We have thus made a deliberate move to construct nurses’ houses but above all we have so far implemented at least six health related projects in the district through devolution and we believe we are on target to achieve more. The ultimate goal is to improve access to critical services,” he said.
Devolution funds have been earmarked to transform rural communities as government responds to the funding gaps being faced by local authorities.
