Tale of a marginalized community  during  pandemic

Onita Sibanda/Calvin Manika

Dete villagers fear another disaster in the event of another Covid-19 wave. The fears stem from difficulties in accessing health facilities which are ill equipped and situated far away from the villages.

At the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Zimbabwe, villagers in Dete often had to navigate bumpy roads for several hours  to transport sick relatives to the nearest health facility in Nyagala village which is 14 kilometres away. 

“We are at risk of losing people to avoidable deaths in the event of another wave of COVID-19,” said Sibongile Dube whose relative cheated death after contracting COVID-19 and struggling to get medical attention. 

“My relative got sick and had all COVID-19 symptoms, but the clinic was too far away and we also had transport challenges. Scotch carts often break down along the way. We had a terrible experience and we knew that going to Makwandala clinic would be the worst thing to do and so we resorted to home remedies for medication,” Narrated Dube

This and other similar grim experiences were common at the height of the pandemic.

“Traveling 14 kilometres only to have your body temperature and blood pressure checked is not encouraging. We need treatment beyond the ordinary procedure. I observed that clinics around Dete have inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and it was even worse when COVID-19 was ruling the day. The staff in these clinics are ill equipped and unprepared,” said John Ncube, another villager.

Nkosilathi Sibanda said, “The distance is very long and it’s not easy to travel. Without scotch carts, people could die on the way. After traveling all the way, it is so disappointing that the few clinics  in Dete cannot adequately provide medical assistance,” he adds.

Ncube hopes that the trials faced at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic provided a learning opportunity for Dete to develop health infrastructure to support its people. 

“…the government should construct an additional two or three clinics in Dete with state of the art equipment which can handle COVID-19 and other chronic diseases,” he added.

The advent of COVID-19 ushered in new developments locally and internationally. Existing medical facilities got facelifts, were renovated, extended and in some areas, new structures were constructed in preparation of health emergencies.

So far, there are no indications that a new clinic could be constructed in Dete to improve the plight of villagers who fear the risk of failing to get treatment for COVID-19 and other diseases as the health facilities have no capacity to admit and treat patients. 

Despite its vast geographical area, Dete has only five clinics, Makwandala, Lupote, Songwa, Mabale and Dete which are not fully staffed and equipped. Villagers are appealing to the government to construct more clinics or a well-furnished hospital for them.

Marginalisation and underdevelopment has rendered the area unprepared in the fight against COVID-19. 

Chronic drug shortages and avoidable deaths continue unabated amidst an economic crisis compounded by an exodus of skilled medical staff seeking greener pastures in other countries. With COVID-19 still lingering, villagers are uncertain about their future. 

Authorities are worried too.

Moses Sibanda, the Makwandala Village Head’s secretary says Malonga, Nyagala, and Chezhou villagers travel 11 kilometres to the nearest clinic and that action needs to be taken to protect lives.

“After traveling the long distance to get help, nurses are afraid to attend to COVID-19 patients for fear of contracting the disease because they don’t have enough PPEs. We implore the government to support the health system especially in remote communities,” said Sibanda.

Lupote Ward Councillor in the Hwange Rural District Council, Cosmos Mwakiposa said petitions for a new clinic have been submitted to the council and passed on to central government for implementation.

“Clinics are far away from most of the villages. There is also a shortage of accommodation for clinic staff members which has caused experienced nurses to shun the area. We need assistance as a matter of urgency,” said Mwakiposa.

“We want our representatives to further this issue as part of a collective effort to make the government accountable in light of challenges in accessing primary health care. We need at least one hospital,” said John Ncube, a villager.