Staff Reporter
Harare health institutions, especially the City of Harare’s hospitals and clinics have been urged to take lessons from the success stories of village health workers in Mavingo province in Mwenezi, at Neshuro district hospital and at Chivi district hospitals.
These are volunteers who have become a bridge between the health institutions and the people, in the case of Harare being an urban area, these volunteers can now be called a different name removing the village part, the health officials suggested the term, ‘community health worker.’
In an interview during a media tour in Mwenezi and Chivi districts, organised by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care in partnership with UNICEF in Zimbabwe, a top health official at Neshuro district hospital who preferred anonymity said Harare province’s health sector can benefit a lot from a similar programme like the village health workers initiative as not everyone should come to the hospital as health workers who are volunteers are well trained to handle some of the sicknesses.
The health official said health workers who go into the community are very important as they are well trained with the help of the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and its partners.
“We know that Harare council hospitals and clinics have not had many successes, however they can borrow a leaf from what other health institutions are doing, they need to understand that not everyone should come to the hospital, some of the diseases should be treated in the community to avoid them spreading into the community.
Health workers have had serious training and can go a long way and starting where the nurses and doctors would have left off as they do households follow ups,” the official said.
“Not just mentioning what is being done in here in Mwenezi and Chivi districts but if you look at other countries they have seriously trained health workers in their cities, these people are serious about monitoring primary health care and the health of their communities.
“Sometimes you have cases where families may be faced with a sickness but would rather conceal it, but if you have someone constantly watching over a certain community these cases would be exposed and the patient would get help.”
Government has been spearheading this project for years now, but it’s mostly seen in rural settings, however council can step up and complement their efforts, obviously the Ministry of Health and child care will be there for support and guidance.
The village health workers in Masvingo province have proved to be the heroes of the health sector as they are complimenting the work of nurses and doctors in the communities they serve.
They do most of the groundwork, making it easier for referral hospitals in their area while serving their neighbours and members of their communities.
The district nursing Officer (DNO) at Neshuro district hospital Mr Auguste Chikoti said village health workers have proved to be the backbone of health services in their area adding that more were needed to improve the situation.
“The village health workers are a very important part of the community and the work that they do go a long way and helping people get treatment.
They are well trained such that we can trust them t5o carry out vaccinations, HIV testing, and other things that happen in communities. The village health workers are the entry point and a bridge between the health facility and the community,” he said.
“We are very grateful for the work that the village health workers are carrying out, because of them we are always up to speed as whatever is happening within the community is reported by the village health worker who really sees what is happening on the ground, for example, diarrhea, and cholera before action is taken.
They also do malaria testing and treatment to minor cases as a first measure to save lives.
There is a lot the village worker does,” said Chikoti.
Chikoti said each village health services about 100 households and in total the village health workers service 18 wards.
A village health worker Mr Ishmael Mhara who reports to Neshuro district hospital said they work closely with the people and do their very best in monitoring new diseases and help the sick get treatment.
“We go out of our way to help the sick in the communities and we also monitor if there are no new illnesses and diseases, we are basically bringing the hospital to the people, however those who need serious treatment we help them get to the hospital and help in time,” he said.
Another village health worker who reports to Chivi district hospital Mrs Dorica Mavindidze said they are committed to doing their voluntary work however they also need resources and protection as she was at one time chased with an axe.
“We are committed to our work as we have been doing this for years however we do need resources for transportation as it becomes difficult to get to some areas.
“We also need protection as I was at one point chased with an axe from a certain house which had religious beliefs which did not allow their children to get medical help, however the Ministry of Health and child care intervened and we eventually got the children some help,” she said.
UNICEF in Zimbabwe in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care is currently holding a, “health heroes campaign,” which seeks to honour the village health workers recognising their role in and its impact in the communities they work in.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, UNICEF in Zimbabwe and partners said they will continue to work in close partnership to empower the frontline health workers – including the village health workers and the professional nurses at the local primary health facilities – to deliver basic health services to the people of Zimbabwe are entitled to.
Current and past partners in the health sector include the donors of the Health Resilience Fund – the European Union, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – as well as Australia, Canada, China, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United States Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, Eli Lilly Foundation and Rotary.