Emelda Madlangove (33) from Ward 6, under headman Svondo in Mhandamahwe, has three children. Her third child was delivered at Mhandamahwe Rural Health Centre in December 2022. However, she recalls the “dark days.” A period when everything in the labour ward was pitch-black and expecting mothers would deliver through the aid of candles and makeshift lighting alternatives.
By Michael Gwarisa in Chivi District
The year was 2016 and she was booked to deliver her first child at Mhandamahwe facility. She vividly remembers how the nurses ran up and down trying to find an alternative light when the torch battery ran out.
It was one of those moments when as a mother about to give birth, I would feel very unsafe and anxious,” said Emelda.
According to global health standards, the labour room should be warm and well lit so that the perineum and vulva can be easily observed. However, for most rural health centres in the country, proper lighting and electricity is a luxury they cannot afford.
“I remember back then, it was mandatory for expecting mothers to bring their own candles to use for lighting during the birthing process. Imagine nurses using candles, some bringing it closer down there just to see properly.”
While safety in the maternity room was her greatest concern, Emelda says she also feared being attacked or raped by dangerous criminals while in the waiting mothers’ shelter.
However, Emelda and other women in the district now feel safe following the electrification of Mhandamahwe Rural Health centre under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Global Fund (GF) Solar for Health (S4H) project. The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC).
Gogo Winny Mushuku, also from Mhandamahwe said, “I am happy for this project. I remember back in 2009, when I accompanied my daughter to deliver here. We would be requested to bring our own candles to help with lighting during child birth. That is a thing of the past now,” said gogo Mushuku.
Her husband, Sekuru Clemence Mushuku said the S4H project had not only brought relief to pregnant mothers but had also made the facility safer.
“This place was used to be a no go area. Thieves used to be a menace here and nurses and staff at this facility would fear for their lives it was very difficult to get assistance from nurses before because at times they would hesitate opening their doors to criminals posing as patients’ because it was too dark.
“Now that the solar system is here, you find that we are getting assistance even in the middle of the night because there are lights everywhere. This has greatly improved our healthcare standard as a community and even pregnant women who used to fear booking and waiting in the mothers shelter are no longer hesitant to wait for their delivery day here,” said sekuru Mushuku.
Mhandamahwe Rural Health Centre serves a population of approximately 9,004. It caters for Wards 6, 8 and ward 7. The facility has Six Nurses, two Registered General Nurses (RGN) Midwives, One RGN, three Primary Care Nurses (PCNs), two Environmental Health Technicians (EHTs), one micro-scopist, one data entry clerk, one general hand and one nurse aid.
Mhandamahwe Rural Health Centre Acting Nurse in Charge, Sister Pertunia Tshuma said, “…As a rural health centre, the Solar for Health project has helped a lot. As you are aware, we are currently experiencing load shedding, but now because we have got solar power here, we don’t struggle to store our vaccines, we are able to maintain the chain for our vaccines. Before the Solar system was installed, we would at times use torches, solar lamps and candles to provide light in the labour rooms.”
To familiarise local media with the S4H project, the Ministry of Health, through support from the UNDP-Global Fund organised a week long media tour of Masvingo, Matebeleland South and Bulawayo provinces. The S4H project was launched in 2017, and since then, a total 1045 out of the 1,600 public health institutions in Zimbabwe have had solar power installed. Out of the 1045 facilities, 113 facilities are in Masvingo.
Chivi District Medical Officer, Dr Onward Tendaupenyu said they handle emergency maternal health cases from facilities such as Mhandamahwe rural health center and the Solar for Health project capacitated them to handle some cases they used to refer to Masvingo before.
“We do about an average 10 Cesarean Sections per week. We split them say, five during the day and five during the night. Before this Solar system, we would travel through the night with patients to Masvingo and this would push our fuel bill up. Now we are saving on average, 100 liters of fuel and 100 USD allowances which are supposed to be paid to accompanying cadres,” said Dr Tendaupenyu.
Chivi General Hospital has a 40 Kilowatt solar grid and serve about 200,000 people in the district. The Hospital also serves surrounding areas like Masvingo District from across Tugwi river up to Nyanda, Mashava area, part of Zishavane and Shurugwi.
Meanwhile, in Bulawayo Province 25 solar systems (7kWp, 10kWp, 40kWp) have been installed while in Matebeleland North, 100 solar systems (5kWp, 7kWp, 10kWp, 40kWp) have been set up whereas in Matebeleland South-107 solar systems (5kWp, 7kWp, 10kWp, 40kWp). These also include rural health centres and local authority clinics. Mawabeni Clinic in Matebeleland South is one facility that has benefited from the Solar For Health project.
