THE Bridging Gaps Foundation (BGF), founded by fuel mogul Kudakwashe Tagwirei, says it is transforming communities across the country through the provision of free curative and preventive care.
BGF is non-profit organisation which is the brainchild of business mogul Kudakwashe Tagwirei and wife Sandra.
The organisation has been offering free medical care in areas such as Domboshava and Plumtree, among others, catering for thousands of people through the provision of dental care, blood pressure, antenatal, optometry, diabetes and healthy eating services.
For the next two weeks, the foundation will be stationed at Birchenough Bridge and Tanganda Halt to administer free medical care to thousands of people in partnership with the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Tagwirei told Chipinge communities that his organisation will continue to bridge gaps within communities through the provision of free healthcare services and food aid.
“We strive to bridge gaps within communities. Our team has been in this area for five days and we have noticed that healthcare is essential. From Monday (tomorrow), people will be able to see medical doctors for various ailments for free.
“Today, we are making sure the hospital is equipped for patient comfort while the community will get mealie-meal, cooking oil, sugar beans with two more 30-tonne trucks of mealie-meal coming in the next few days as we try to bridge the food deficiency gap,” he said during the handover of some of the donations to Birchenough Bridge Hospital.
The two-week programme coincides with the Seventh Day Adventist Church’s healthy eating programme.
Receiving the donation on behalf of government, Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Misheck Mugadza said the gesture would have a positive impact on the lives of communities in Birchenough.
“The generous gift from BGF founders will make a significant change in the lives of the community and contribute to the hospital’s capacity to handle patients. I hope this will spread to other parts of the country,” he said.
Birchenough Bridge Hospital matron Nicholas Sithole said the move bridged the comfort gap within the hospital.
“We appreciate this gesture by the government through the Bridging Gaps Foundation and the Seventh Day Adventist Church because it has addressed some of the pressing challenges we were facing as an institution,” he said.
“We needed the beds, blankets, bedding sheets and screen covers so that we enhance privacy of patients in the hospital.”
Said BGF chief executive Mberikwazvo Chitambo: “We anticipate replicating this gesture to other districts across the country where we are focusing on alleviating hunger, investing in educational programming through the provision of food aid and creating health awareness among communities through curative and preventive care.”