Maternity wing for Vhimba Clinic
THE Vhimba community in Chimanimani received a shot in the arm after Lions Club International Foundation undertook to construct a maternity wing at the local clinic.
The clinic serves more than 24 000 people from both Zimbabwe and Mozambique as the area is a few kilometres from the border.
After the devastating March 2019 Cyclone Idai disaster destroyed local health facilities, people in the area have been walking for more than 8km to access medical assistance at the nearest health institution.
The Vhimba Clinic maternity wing will comprise an ante-natal unit with four beds, a post natal unit with four beds, a maternity unit with four delivery beds and a waiting mothers facility with four beds.
The Lions Club International Foundation is expected to pour US$100 000 into the project.
Lions’ Club International Foundation’s US$75 000 grant for the project was approved in August, while the local chapter will raise the remaining US$25 000.
Speaking during a tour of Vhimba Clinic last week on Saturday, Lion Club International Foundation’s District Governor, Mr Vinay Naicker confirmed the approval of the grant to kickstart the project.
“We managed to get a grant of US$75 000 from the Lions Club International Foundation and as the local lions, we will raise about US$25 000 so that we can successfully complete the construction of the Vhimba Clinic maternity wing,” said Mr Naicker.
Former District Governor for the Lions Club, Ms Meera Chandra said they expect to complete the construction of the maternity wing next year.
“We hope we will be able to handover the maternity wing to the Ministry of Health and Child Care next year. We applied for the grant last year and fortunately it was approved in August this year.
“We are waiting to finalise all the necessary paperwork before embarking on this project in earnest. This clinic serves over 35 villages around this area.
“Mozambicans will also benefit from this project as I am told a lot of them also utilise this clinic,” said Ms Chandra.