Gokwe Town Council has upgraded Mapfungautsi Polyclinic using devolution funds to improve health care delivery and capacity as the clinic offers services to about 10 000 people.
The small facility could no longer cope with the demand and complex situations presenting at the clinic.
The completion of Mapfungautsi Polyclinic is credited to devolution funds as the project was started and funded by council funds in 2016 but it took four years for the superstructure to reach wall plate level.
However, with the introduction of capital grants through devolution in 2020, it only took two years to complete the clinic which was commissioned recently.
Plans are afoot to have Mapfungautsi Clinic serviced by at least 30 nurses and three doctors, thanks to the devolution funds which the Gokwe Town Council started receiving back in 2019.
The polyclinic comprises a maternity ward, four male and female wards, an opportunistic infections clinic, transitory admissions, three postnatal rooms, two ante-natal care rooms, comprehensive HIV and Aids care services and an outpatient wing.
GTC has been putting devolution funds to good use and completing people-centred projects such as the clinic, classroom blocks, gravelling sand roads, street lighting, and purchasing of a tractor and trailer to enhance refuse collection.
The Government from 2019 to date allocated GTC over $1,2 billion and has managed to release over $152 million to the local authority.
Devolution is enshrined in the 2013 Constitution, but its implementation began in earnest with the coming in of the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa when growing sums were budgeted to top up the funds local authorities raise themselves to fund essential infrastructure in their areas.
The Second Republic is scaling up the devolution thrust consistent with President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.
The devolution funds are assisting local authorities to fulfil their obligation of ensuring improved access to social amenities across the country through the development of key infrastructure such as clinics, classroom blocks, roads, and bridges among other facilities.
The devolution agenda has also encouraged communities to participate in the development agenda that affects them thus enhancing public scrutiny of projects and accountability by local authorities.
According to Mr Alexander Nyandoro, GTC acting town secretary, the devolution funds are helping the local authority to transform lives in previously marginalised areas.
“Because of the devolution funds, we now have infrastructural development, improved living standards for the people, improved Government visibility in communities through council and community participation. Since the devolution agenda picked momentum under the Second Republic, it has strengthened local democracy and enhanced allocative efficiency in the supply of public funds, goods and services,” said Mr Nyandoro.
He noted that the devolution agenda is a people-centred initiative which places communities at the centre of local economic development thereby enhancing community-driven development.
“Through public consultations, communities decide and prioritise projects to embark on. One of the pillars of democracy is citizen participation and citizen engagement. This participation has increased public scrutiny of public officials thereby enhancing transparency and public accountability,” said Mr Nyandoro.
He said Mapfungautsi Polyclinic was constructed to avail health services to residents adding that is it servicing over 10 000 people.
“The clinic offers maternity, outpatient department, HIV testing, counselling and treatment, family planning, child health, and environmental health services. The availability of the clinic has reduced travelling for residents in Mapfungautsi, Kambasha, and Sasame from 10km to Gokwe South General Hospital to 5km to access health services,” said Mr Nyandoro.
Touching more on the importance of devolution funds, he said in the absence of the bourse, council projects were taking too long to complete and some were abandoned due to lack of funding.
“In our case, the completion of Mapfungautsi Polyclinic is credited to the devolution funds. This is because the project was started and funded by council funds in 2016 and it took four years for the superstructure to reach wall plate level, but with the introduction of capital grants through devolution in 2020, it only took two years to complete it and it was commissioned in 2022,” said Mr Nyandoro.
He highlighted that another clinic, Promise Medical, was constructed to reduce walking distances to access health services and decongest the existing health facilities.
The local authority has also constructed two classroom blocks at Vision Kunashe Primary School in Nyaradza suburb to cope with the growing population and decongest the existing schools.
“This was to decongest St Agnes Gokwe Primary School and also reduce walking distances for pupils from Njelele, Nyaradza, Cheziya and Green Valley suburbs in accessing schools like Bhovha, Gwehava and Gokwe schools from 6km to 2km,” noted Mr Nyandoro.
Council has set up a Valuation Roll — a software that is used to rate council property to enhance equitable billing while a solar system has been installed at the town house to back up power.
“We also purchased refuse collection equipment that is a tractor and a trailer to improve collection efficiency and coverage. We embarked on drain construction to reduce flash floods and to improve the drainage system in town and we have done 3km of drains.”
Added Mr Nyandoro, “Road gravelling is taking place across all the wards to improve trafficability in a town that has sandy soils. So far, 15km of the roads have been gravelled and the programme is ongoing. We also installed street lights for public safety.”
These projects, he said, were identified from the council’s strategic plan and their prioritisation was achieved through the budget consultations.
“As a town council, we are of the view that through devolution, the Second Republic is making significant strides in empowering and capacitating provincial and local authorities in the country. The coming in of the devolution agenda has resuscitated our capacity to improve service delivery,” said Mr Nyandoro.
Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in the Midlands Province Mr Abiot Maronge said the governance structure in the devolution agenda (project proposals, performance reports, acquittals and internal audits reports) has improved the quality of work and efficiency in the completion of projects.
He said the devolution funds relieve local authorities of financial challenges that have hampered service delivery for years.
It enhances development in local authorities through periodic monitoring of projects by national, provincial, and local authority structures.
The fact that devolution funds use must be accompanied by performance reports, periodic acquittals, and internal audit reports, has enhanced the transparent and efficient use of funds by public entities.
“Overall, I’m happy with the progress being registered by the Gokwe Town Council. They started slowly but they have learnt from their experiences and have improved both project identification and execution of works. They’re building classroom blocks and clinics and these are key in service delivery in both urban and rural areas,” he said. – The Chronicle
