Beitbridge appeals for schools, health facilities
BEITBRIDGE West legislator Cde Metrine Mdau has appealed to Government and its development partners to construct more primary health care facilities in Beitbridge district.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Mdau said the situation in Beitbridge was deplorable, as people were forced to walk more than 15 kilometres to access health services.
According to the World Health Organisation standards, people should not walk for more than eight kilometres to access primary, health facilities.
Cde Mdau said besides an acute shortage of health facilities, there was also need to electrify the existing ones and equip them with requisite medical tools and human resources.
“The situation in the rural component of the district is worrying and we are appealing to Government and development agents to rescue communities in this area,” she said.
It was ideal, Cde Mdau said, to have at least two clinics in each of the 15 rural wards in the district.
“So far, there are 16 rural clinics which are not adequate for our populace,” she said.
Cde Mdau said the worst affected people lived in such areas as Hwunga, Mazunga, Dumba and Chabili.
She said although some of the clinics had electricity, there was need to boost power supplies with solar systems as alternative energy sources.
“The communication systems are also worrying, especially in cases of emergency where most people are relying on mobile cellular providers from South Africa and Botswana,” said Cde Mdau.
“We need to work around upgrading our mobile telephone network reception and the road network too.”
An estimated 160 000 people live in Beitbridge district, the majority of which stay in rural areas.
Cde Mdau said communication challenges had been worsened by the vandalism targeted at fixed telephone lines, which used to connect most business centres in the district.
The Beitbridge Rural District Council, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration, is constructing a new clinic to service close to 6 000 villagers in Chabili area.
The clinic, which is almost complete, is set to open its doors in November.