FRUSTRATED villagers in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North province, have raised concern over an acute shortage of medical facilities in the area, forcing them to travel more than 20km to access basic healthcare services.
Speaking to Southern Eye, villagers in Tsholotsho’s ward 8 said they travelled long distances from Garia to access the nearest clinic in Tshitatshawa, about 20km away.
“One of the biggest challenges we are currently facing is the issue of the clinic. We have challenges in accessing the clinic. It is very far and it affects us as we have to walk longer distances,” the villagers said.
“It becomes worse if someone is very sick, they cannot walk for more than 20km. That has a huge effect on their health.”
Tsholotsho North legislator Libion Sibanda confirmed that there was only one clinic in the ward, adding that the situation was making it difficult for villagers in Garia, Mgodi and Butabubili to access it.
“There is only one clinic in ward 8 and some villagers have to access clinical services in neighbouring wards, like ward 7, 10 and 21,” Sibanda said.
He also indicated that they were yet to engage organisations that could fund the construction of another clinic as they commissioned the Tshitatshawa Clinic last year.
“There is another clinic needed in areas like Garia so that it can help villagers there and surrounding areas. There is really a need for us to apply for another clinic,” Sibanda said.
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Tsholotsho Rural District Council chief executive Nkululeko Sibanda said it was government policy that people should not walk more than 10km to access health facilities.
He also said they engaged the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources, a Zimbabwean community-based natural resource management programme to fund the construction of Tshitatshawa Clinic.
