MAHWAU Clinic in Chief Chirundu area, Mashonaland West province, that was built by Kariba REDD+ two years ago, remains closed after it was shut down by government, leaving villagers stranded.
The clinic was meant to serve about 3 000 villagers within a radius of 40km, but authorities forced its shutdown.
This was after the government forced non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to cease operations until a Climate Change Act was enacted.
Villagers, who are now forced to travel more than 40km to the nearest clinic in Nyamakate area, do not have kind words for the government, saying it was insensitive to their plight.
Villagers from areas like Mayamba and Chitindiva, situated more than 40km, were expected to benefit from the clinic built by proceeds from carbon credits trading by Kariba REDD+ working in conjunction with Hurungwe Rural District Council.
In stopping the operations of the NGOs, the government cited failure by some of these organisations to declare all the money received from carbon credits trading.
At the time, Kariba REDD+ was building clinics, and Mahwau was one of them to reduce the distances that villagers were travelling to seek healthcare services.
Pregnant women die while giving birth walking to the nearest clinic some 40km away.
The critically ill are also losing their lives because of failure to access healthcare services on time.
Chundu villager Anna Muripa said it was shocking that the government was chasing away “Good Samaritans” such as Kariba REDD+.
“Our government is insensitive to our plight. They have failed to build a single clinic in our area since independence in 1980. We continue to walk long distances to the nearest clinic,” Muripa complained.
Chief Abel Chundu said pregnant women and other patients risked being attacked by wild animals as they walked long distances to the nearest clinic.
“We appeal to the government to allow the NGO to open the clinic as our people walk long distances of more than 40km to seek medication,” the chief said.
“Recently, we had one villager who gave birth while walking to the clinic and, unfortunately, the newly-born baby died.”
Kariba REDD+ director Charles Ndondo confirmed that they were stopped from operating and that they had since applied for a new permit.
“All I can confirm is that we were stopped in our operations until a new Climate Change Act is in place, to which we must conform to,” he said.
“We have since applied for a new permit and we are hopeful to be licensed to finish the work we started.”
Director in the Climate Change Department in the Agriculture ministry, Washington Zhakata, confirmed that all organisations operating in the district were stopped until a climate change law is put into place.
“Once the law is in place, we will license organisations to work, but we need to protect communities where projects are being implemented from unscrupulous organisations that do not develop our communities yet they will be making a lot of money,” he said.