By Flata Kavinga
The Redcliff Constituency Senior Citizens Association has called for the expansion of mobile health services and improvements to basic infrastructure after engaging the Zibagwe Rural District Council over challenges affecting elderly residents.
Speaking in an interview, the association’s welfare officer, Juliet Govati, said the organisation presented a number of concerns to the local authority on behalf of its members, including deteriorating roads, access to water, healthcare and food assistance.
Govati said the association requested the rehabilitation of roads under the jurisdiction of the Zibagwe Rural District Council, arguing that many roads in the constituency’s peri-urban areas had become difficult to use.
She said the association also appealed for boreholes to be made more accessible to elderly residents and called for additional mobile clinics to improve access to healthcare.
“We requested more mobile clinics to assist the elderly in accessing treatment. While Sivuma Clinic is providing free health services to elderly people in both rural and peri-urban areas, we are appealing to Government to introduce more mobile clinics to cover the entire Redcliff Constituency,” said Govati.
She welcomed the commissioning of Sivuma Clinic by the Minister of Energy and Power Development, July Moyo, saying it had improved access to healthcare for senior citizens.
Govati said the minister had indicated that there were plans to extend mobile clinic services to other rural and urban areas.
The association also appealed for food hampers to be distributed more widely to elderly people living in peri-urban communities.
“Mostly it is the youth who benefit from such donations. We hope our requests will be met and we will continue engaging the relevant authorities until we achieve the desired results,” she said.
The engagement forms part of the association’s efforts to advocate for improved services and welfare support for senior citizens across Redcliff Constituency.
