Water pipeline for Chingwizi Clinic

GOVERNMENT plans to engage a private partner to construct a pipeline that will transmit water from Runde River to Chingwizi Clinic at Nuanetsi Ranch, which ran dry in a few weeks.

Chingwizi clinic, which caters for more than 30 000 villagers at Nuanetsi and surrounding areas, among them relocated Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims, has been facing acute water shortages after drying up of boreholes that supplied the health institution.

The precarious water situation forced villagers to resort to use of scotch-carts to supply water at the clinic.

Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu last week said plans were afoot to bring a permanent solution to water woes at the clinic.

“I have been briefed about the problem of water at Chingwizi Clinic after three boreholes that were supplying water at the institution dried up,” he said.

“I am happy to announce that the Ministry of Health and Child Care has already engaged a private partner to install a pipeline that will supply water from the nearby Runde River.’’

Dr Shamu said Government was committed to improving the health delivery system at Chingwizi for the benefit of Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims and other villagers.

He conceded that the clinic was under-staffed, with only eight nurses at the institution.

“We have plans to recruit more health personnel because Chingwizi clinic needs at least 15 nurses considering its huge catchment area,’’ said Dr Shamu.

Besides Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims at Chingwizi, the clinic also supplied water to Magudu, Masangula and other surrounding areas.

There were fears of disease outbreak at Chingwizi recently following the acute shortage of water that forced villagers to fetch water from canals that irrigate sugar cane plantations at Mupapa estates.

More than 3 000 families displaced by the Tokwe-Mukosi dam in Chivi were relocated to Chingwizi at Nuanetsi Ranch in 2014, but faced shortage of facilities such as schools and clinics.

A state-of-the-art clinic was built at Chigwizi at a cost of $400 000 after the National Aids Council poured money into the project, with the Zimbabwe National Army providing artisans who built the facility.