Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-UNICEF has given the government of Zimbabwe 3000 bicycles towards the Village Health Worker (VHW) programme.
The bicycles were handed over to at a ceremony held at Beatrice Rural Hospital in Seke on Tuesday and received by Dr Sydney Makarawu, who gave the speech, on behalf of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Retired Brigadier Dr Gerald Gwinji.
The 3000 bicycles will be given to the VHWs in 8 rural provinces covering all 60 districts with each district receiving 50 bicycles.
Dr Gwinji said the gesture would go a long way in alleviating the challenges faced by the VHW in the dispensation of their duties.
“The VHW programme is at the centre of community health care services and has a critical role in helping Zimbabwe reduce child mortality, improve reproductive health, reduce maternal deaths, reduce communicable and non-communicable diseases and sustain the gains in HIV, TB and Malaria prevention, treatment and care”.
“The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal may be made possible by providing health services to individuals, families and communities through their participation and involvement”, he said.
Dr Gwinji further explained that government is in the process of implementing the National Health Strategy (2016-2020) with a component to decentralize health services and extend the Primary Health Care services into the community.
This shall be done through the creation of Heath Posts where a community based Primary Care Nurse will work together with the VHWs to engage the individuals, families and the community and provide curative services at village level.
“The Ministry of Health is committed to continue mobilisation of resources to train 9000 more VHWs which requires a total cost of $1.575.000 and to provide the remaining 5 weeks training for all then over 15 000 VHWs deployed”, said Dr Gwinji.
Speaking at the same occasion UNICEF Chief of Health and Nutrition Dr Nejmudin Bilal said VHWs played a fundamental role.
“As respected members of communities they serve, these trusted cadres are at the frontline of health services delivery and usually the very first level of contact for individuals, families and communities”, he said.
Since the inception of the VHW programme positive results have been witnessed in increased early ante-natal care (ANC) bookings, institutional deliveries and postnatal care visits and a reduction in infant mortality rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR).
There has been a reduction of communicable diseases through increased treatment adherence to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) and malaria case management.
The 3000 bicycles were acquired by UNCEF through funds availed by the German National Committee.
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