By Staff Reporter
ZHOMBE – Villagers in Senkwasi, Chief Gwesela area, have called on the Zibagwe Rural District Council to prioritise health in its budget allocations. The call comes after local authority has set a budget of ZiG200 million for the year which has since gone for parent ministry consideration and is yet to be approved.
Speaking at a budget tracking meeting organised by Community Voices Zimbabwe (CVZ) and the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd), villagers emphasised the urgent need for increased funding for healthcare. They cited poor service delivery at clinics such as Senkwasi and St Paul’s, including severe shortages of resources and inadequate maternity facilities.
“Senkwasi Clinic has been operating with just one maternity bed for years. Women are forced to take turns giving birth on the same bed, and those who have delivered must sleep on the floor, exposing both mother and child to the risk of infections. This is why we are saying our council should take action. This is a priority area that should have been given more attention in the budget,” said Rangarirai Chishiri.
Sithabile Maseko (25) echoed similar concerns, calling for the construction of more clinics to reduce the distance between communities and health services.
“In this area, most women prefer home births, which are not safe, because of the long distances and the lack of adequate facilities at clinics. Pregnant women have to walk for kilometres while also being required to bring their own water, as Senkwasi Clinic has no water storage tank,” she said.
Maseko further highlighted the challenges faced by people on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
“People on ART are defaulting because of the distance and lack of privacy at the clinic. They are forced to collect their medication in the same space as other patients with different ailments, which discourages them from continuing treatment,” she added.
Tatenda Moyo expressed frustration over the persistent lack of medication at the clinic.
“Every time we go to the clinic, we are told there is no medication. Something must be done to address this issue,” he said.
Zibagwe Rural District Council councillor Emmanuel Sibanda assured villagers that their concerns were noted in the budget. However, he urged them to actively participate in budget consultations and fulfil their financial obligations to the council.
“The budget is people-centric and considers the needs of the community. Villagers should play their part by honouring their dues to the council so that it can operate smoothly and implement the projects outlined in the budget,” he said.
