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Health ministry shoots down request to provide free medication to elderly people

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THE Health and Child Care Ministry has reportedly shot down a request by a group of Rusape residents and a local businessman, Cleopas Mugomba to provide free medication to elderly people in the area tomorrow..

THE Health and Child Care Ministry has reportedly shot down a request by a group of Rusape residents and a local businessman, Cleopas Mugomba to provide free medication to elderly people in the area tomorrow..

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

Through its Makoni district medical officer, Tendai Nyafesa, the ministry said there was need to provide proof on whether the 10 hired doctors were registered medical practitioners and to find out on the type of the medicine that was going to be prescribed.

Nyafesa denied allegations that he had shot down the request to provide free medication to the community.

“We told them that they should come up with proof on whether their doctors and nurses are registered and to also check on the medicine they were going to use,’’ he said.

“I also did that after I consulted my superiors provincial medical director doctor (Patron Mafaune) and if they are able to do that then they go on with their product.’’

The community had hired six doctors and four nurses to conduct the outreach programme.

“We are driven by passion to give back and assist the society where we are resident. As already alluded to, the outreach will target the elderly members from the community from 50 years and above, those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, eyesight, ear infections, tooth problems among others,’’ the community to the ministry wrote.

“The outreach is a gift to the people of Rusape from us a group of youth in partnership with local businessman, Cleopas Mugomba.’’

Mugomba rapped government officials for frustrating his philanthropic projects.

“We don’t understand what they were saying because these are junior doctors, who have been helping people these days as doctors are on strike,’’ he said.

“We have been inspired all along to help people in our community and with this strike we found it possible to help our ailing elderly people.’’