ZANU PF Murewa South legislator and former diplomat Noah Mangondo has been appointed patron of the Zimbabwe Village Health Workers Association (ZVHWA).
Mangondo took over the reins at a colourful event held in Macheke at the weekend.
He takes over from cleric Zakeo Chirume, who led the association's formation last year; Chirume is set to assume an advisory role.
“We are happy that ZVHWA now has a patron to steer the organisation forward and improve the well-being of village health workers,” Chirume said.
“We approached several legislators and sometimes ministers, asking them to assume the role of patron until MP Mangondo agreed. We believe in his leadership qualities and we are hopeful that his tenure will bring joy to the VHWs (village health workers).”
The handover ceremony was attended by several VHWs, officials from the Health and Child Care ministry, Zanu PF Murewa district leaders and members of the Young Women for Economic Development.
VHWs have been lobbying the government to consider them civil servants and to at least be paid monthly salaries.
Lately, VHWs have been getting paltry quarterly allowances despite their critical role in the health sector at both the household and village levels.
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In his acceptance speech, Mangondo promised to work hard to improve the welfare of VHWs.
“I have accepted this role and I promise that I will do my best to work with VHWs towards improving their welfare,” Mangondo said.
“I considered it a noble cause to be a patron of the Zimbabwe Village Health Workers Association, mainly because village health workers play a critical role in the delivery of health services to communities voluntarily throughout the country.
“The village health workers are the unsung heroes of Zimbabwe’s health delivery system who deserve recognition, reward and appropriate working conditions. They are the country’s frontline soldiers working to combat various health ailments and disease outbreaks.”
VHWs are considered the backbone of the rural primary health system, serving as a critical link between communities and formal health facilities.
Trained by the Health and Child Care ministry, these frontline volunteers promote hygiene, provide maternal/child health services, and manage outbreaks like cholera.
