Speaking during the donation of the 10 vehicles worth US$147 000, EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell Arricia, said the vehicles would be distributed to training schools around the country and would be used for field training services as well as monitoring and supporting the supervision of the newly trained Environment Health Assistants.
Arricia described the donation as critical as they contributed towards improvements in the sector.
The curriculum of the Environment Health Assistants training focuses on the prevention and control of control, diarrheal diseases, malaria and tuberculosis. This is especially important in light of the cholera outbreak in 2008, said Ariccia.
Another intervention by the EU has been the funding of a staff retention scheme for health workers that is meant to reverse the countrys brain drain. In addition, the EU has provided equipment, essential medicines and training for health personnel in different projects.
The goodwill of the EU over the past years has dispelled myths of the existence of the so-called sanctions on Zimbabwe, with the block having contributed 95 million euros towards the health sector between January 2009 and September 2010.
These interventions in the health sector are a significant part of our overall support of Zimbabwe. The EU, has over the past years, remained a strong partner to the people of Zimbabwe, extending support also in the areas of food security, water, sanitation, education, and humanitarian assistance. We have remained fully committed to improving the livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe, said Ariccia.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare Douglas Mombeshora applauded the donations by the EU and urged the bloc to continue supporting the nation.
Post published in: News