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The Chinhoyi Residents Trust has petitioned medical officers to improve service delivery at Alaska Clinic in Mashonaland West Province.
The petitioners are members of the Chinhoyi Residents Trust (CRT) whose line of work involves pushing for improved service delivery including access to quality and affordable health care in Chinhoyi.
The petition is mindful of the fact that Section 76 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to have access to basic healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare services, and that Section 76 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that every person living with a chronic illness has the right to have access to basic healthcare services for the illness.
The petitioners said they are cognizant of the fact that Section 76 (4) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe obliges the State to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realization of the rights set out in Section 76.
They have concerns over the lack of access to quality and affordable healthcare services and the shortage of trained healthcare personnel at Alaska Clinic which caters to a population of +/-7 000 people.
The petitioners are worried by the fact that the residents of Alaska continue to be deprived of their constitutional right of access to health care due to the shortage of medication at Alaska Clinic and are convinced that as spelt out under Section 76 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure access to basic health care services.
This is in acknowledgment of the fact that Section 59 of the Zimbabwean constitution grants every Zimbabwean the right to present petitions and that Section 76 (4) of the Zimbabwean constitution obliged the State to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realization of the Right to Health.
Below Spiked Online Media shares excerpts from the petition:
Now, therefore your petitioners beseech your Esteemed Office to exercise its constitutional role and address the following issues of public concern in the Alaska area:
1. To engage the central government and push for the recruitment of experienced medical personnel at Alaska Clinic
2. To carry out a needs assessment at Alaska Clinic and engage the government on the provision of medication
3. To engage the Ministry of Health and Child Care and ensure that Alaska Clinic is well-equipped with medical equipment, medicines, and enough experienced health personnel.
4. Provision of ambulances for Alaska Clinic to deal with emergency cases. Currently, there are no ambulances at the clinic.
5. Pushing for the provision of resources by the government for the training of village healthcare workers in the Alaska area
PETITIONER’S PLEA AND PRAYER
The petitioner beseech your Esteemed Office, to without further delay, in the context of its legislative duty, ensure that action is taken (taking into consideration the above submissions) to ensure residents of Alaska enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed right of access to basic healthcare services
WHEREFORE your petitioner prays that Your Esteemed Office will be pleased to take this case into favorable consideration and grant any other such relief as it may deem fit in the circumstances
And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.