By Tawanda Marwizi MAKONI — The Minister of Energy and Development, Elton Mangoma, has urged the government to deliver health services to rural areas. Speaking at the official opening ceremony of a mortuary at Chiendambuya hospital yesterday, Mangoma said there was need for government to prioritise rural areas where thousands of people were failing to access health services.
The mortuary was constructed as part of the Constituency Development Fund given to Members of Parliament in 2010 to spearhead development initiatives in their areas. The mortuary has the capacity of nine bodies and the MP promised to work on expanding it.
“There is need to have these services in rural areas, so I thought it proper to direct part of my CDF to the construction of the mortuary here,” he said.
Mangoma, who is the MP of Makoni North, said it was worrisome to note that people in most rural areas travelled long distances to get health services.
“People can go as far as Rusape and Marondera to get a mortuary and some health services, but then these services must come to the people. the government must fund such programmes to ensure people have better lives,” he said.
Speaking at the same ceremony, chief Chiendambuya said health systems were vital to the people and thanked Mangoma for remembering their community.
A nurse at the hospital who could not be identified said villagers were forced to carry their deceased for long distances in search of a mortuary. “Sometimes we have to work with the police to take the bodies to Marondera and Rusape,” she said.
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The hospital serves a large area of the constituency, which is among the biggest constituencies in Makoni.
