By Felix Matasva
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) candidate for Dangamvura constituency, Larmeck Mwandunguza has vowed that his party will ensure free health care services for all citizens if its leader is elected into power.
NCA will be represented by Professor Lovemore Madhuku on the presidential ballot paper.
Mwandunguza made this pledge during a political dialogue on health policy proposals recently organised in Mutare by the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) and its partner Advocacy Core Team (ACT).
“If you vote for our President Lovemore Madhuku, everyone will not pay fees at government healthcare centres and they will be treated for free.
“Expecting mothers will only cater for preparation and they will not pay for delivery as it will be paid for by government,” he said.
Mwandunguza noted that a NCA government will use money accrued from farming and the sale of mineral resources to improve the health sector.
“NCA will ensure health workers are well motivated to do their work.
“We will introduce mobile clinics in public places and equip our hospitals with cancer machines,” he said adding that NCA will offer higher pay for health workers.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) outgoing legislator for Mutare Central constituency, Innocent Gonese said vulnerable groups should not be discriminated when it comes to access to health care services.
“Young children must be taught about sexual reproductive health so that whenever they indulge in sex they will seek for services.
“This will help our nation to reduce new infections of HIV and various STIs,” said Gonese adding that CCC will also raise the age of consenting to sex from 16 to 18 years.
Gonese reiterated that CCC is pledging health care services access by Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) community to avert the spread of HIV AIDS among key populations.
In 2016, in sub-Saharan Africa, key populations accounted for 25% of new HIV infections, according to UNAIDS.
ZADHR officials said panelists from the ruling Zanu PF party snubbed the political dialogue.
“We have failed to get panelists from Zanu Pf here in Mutare and Bulawayo. They promised to come but they could not show up. We made an effort to invite them,” ZDHR secretary, Dr Norman Matara told Street Eye