A needs assessment undertaken by the Mazowe District Health Executive (DHE) exposed the daunting burden pregnant women from Rinzi, Dockin and Dandamera communities were facing as they had to travel long distances to Concession Hospital for services. To address this challenge, the DHE used their Results Based Financing (RBF) subsidies to renovate a dilapidated beerhall building into a lifesaving clinic, a move appreciated by all stakeholders in the district. The opening of Dandamera clinic in 2021, has been a welcome development for the community. Nomsa Saraoga one of the beneficiaries of the RBF program, and a resident from Dockin said jubilantly, “Tinotenda nekuunzirwa chipatara pedyo nesu mudunhu medu. Ikozvino ndave kufamba karwendo kadiki kuti ndisvike pachipatara uye tinobatsirwa pachena pasina muripo watinobvisa”. (We are grateful that we now have a clinic within our vicinity. We now travel a very short distance, and we are also getting free services).
Community members could not hide the relief brought about by this timely intervention. Mr Chinyoka, the Councillor in Ward 16 expressed his happiness, “We have learnt a lot from this project, challenges come to us to make us better but let me encourage and recommend those willing to copy from us that successful teamwork is always essential”, he said. The District Medical Officer for Mazowe District, Dr Madziva also shared her sentiments, “I’m greatly inspired by such a development of empowering our communities so that the health for all, (Sustainable Development Goal number 3) is achieved as the health care service is universally accessible and acceptable by all people”. Additional resources were sourced from the Concession District Hospital RBF funds and other interested parties who all chipped in to make this lifesaving change to the community.
