The deteriorating standards at the clinic left Muchinjo and her friends with little option but to look elsewhere for treatment. Thanks to the intervention of Anglo Platinum’s Unki Mine, however, they won’t have to.
The mine is situated approximately 60 km south of Gweru on Zimbabwe’s Great Dyke, and is a 120,000 tonne-per-month operation. Their investment in Mtapa clinic has made it more attractive to patients.
“This place was once too scary for patients who had to be admitted and made to sleep over,” Muchinjo said.
Community members have hailed the new medical centre as a job well done.
The upliftment of Mtapa clinic is part of Unki’s corporate social responsibility programme that has benefited numerous communities in the Midlands province.
At Mkoba Polyclinic, Unki invested money in a refurbishment of the building.
Atrisha Chirove, the Mkoba Polyclinic’s Acting Sister-in-Charge said the council had completely failed to sustain the health centre.
“The city fathers had failed us but at a time when we had lost hope, Unki came and revived it,” she said.
Isolation Clinic, which houses patients separated from their communities due to infectious diseases, has been developed the most. It is the only one of its kind in the province.
Unki Mine General Manager, Walter Nemasase, revealed that the renovation costs came to $105,000.
“We hope to unite with the city council in future in order to make the city of Gweru great. The projects we have done are only an indication of our preparedness to give back to the community,” said Nemasase.
In a month, an average of 40 000 people seek treatment at the health centres.
Gweru Mayor Teddius Chimombe applauded the work by Unki saying it did not only achieve infrastructure development but acted as morale boost for the workers. Chimombe said the workers now felt motivated to work.
In order to compliment the work done by Unki, said the mayor, patients will now pay only $3 for medical services at the centres, while TB patients will get treatment for free.
Post published in: News