The Chronicle
Mthabisi Tshuma, Chronicle Correspondent
THE first expecting mother’s shelter in Bulilima district situated at Madlambudzi Clinic is 80% complete.
An expecting mother’s shelter is a very critical component in the setup of a clinic as it houses expectant mothers. It also houses those who experience challenges after birth.
The expecting mother’s shelter has been set up to reduce maternal deaths, reduce home deliveries, as well as reduce and eliminate neonatal deaths.
The Madlambudzi expecting mother’s shelter was recently roofed through funds drawn from Bulilima West Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
The building now awaits to be plastered and construction of the floor.
In an interview, Cde Phuti said the milestone achievement of setting up the first mother’s shelter in the district is on the backbone of ensuring effective health service in rural areas, a move spearheaded by President Mnangagwa.
“We had to identify a health service centre for CDF as a way of investing in that important sector which is so important to the extent that it ensures a healthy and efficient nation.
“The President has put a lot of bias towards health in a number of ways among them appointing a Vice President to be Minister of Health and Child Care and also giving a facelift in terms of expanding NatPharm amongst other areas of attention in the health centres,” said Cde Phuti.
He said at constituency level, they saw it fit to play their part in uplifting the health status of the country.
“We should move the talk by attending to health service centres with a special bias to pregnant mothers and the safety of giving birth hence our channeling of the CDF towards a mother’s shelter,” said Cde Phuti.
“This is the first in Bulilima district and as such it will give the oomph and zeal for other rural service centres and communities to emulate. There is no mother who supposed to give birth at home and its time communities start following the rules set by Government and the World Health Organisation,” said Cde Phuti.
Some expectant mothers said the infrastructure development at the clinic will go a long way in curbing home deliveries.
“As a mother awaiting to give birth, one of the most important things we value is our privacy. In the past having gave birth here in Madlambudzi and Hingwe clinic, we are made to wait at wards with other patients with illness which are a threat to us. The construction of the mother’s shelter will surely go a long way in making sure that we have our privacy and that we deliver in safe and clean spaces,” said Mrs Charlene Ndlovu from Mbimba 1.
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Article Source: The Chronicle