By Fanuel Chinowaita
DEFENCE Minister Oppah Muchinguri has commended telecommunications giant NetOne for taking healthcare services to rural communities, saying such initiatives complement government efforts to improve access to essential services.
Muchinguri made the remarks in Mutasa, Manicaland, where NetOne, through its NetOne @30 Medical Outreach Initiative, provided healthcare services to rural communities as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations.
The outreach, implemented in partnership with ZimSmart Villages, is part of a nationwide programme targeting 30 districts and about 90 000 households, with approximately 3 000 households expected to benefit in each district.
Muchinguri said access to healthcare was critical to achieving the country’s development targets under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
“As we pursue the aspirations of Vision 2030 and implement the National Development Strategy 2, we must continue to harness innovation, technology and partnerships to improve the quality of life of our people,” she said.
“Healthcare is fundamental to development because healthy communities are better positioned to participate meaningfully in the social and economic development of our country.”
The event was also attended by Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Misheck Mugadza, who praised NetOne for placing communities at the centre of its anniversary celebrations.
Speaking on behalf of NetOne, public relations manager Ernest Magadzire said the company wanted to use its 30th anniversary to demonstrate that connectivity could extend beyond telecommunications.
“For 30 years, NetOne has connected Zimbabweans. As we celebrate this milestone, we want connectivity to mean more than communication. We want it to connect people to healthcare, information, opportunity and essential services, especially in communities that need them most,” Magadzire said.
He said the Mutasa outreach was part of efforts to ensure that communities, particularly those in remote areas, benefited from technological advances.
“When a mother can access healthcare closer to home, when a child receives care, when a family receives information that can protect their health — that is connectivity making a difference. That is what we mean when we say we want to go beyond connectivity,” he said.
ZimSmart Villages chief operations officer Tawanda Njerere said technology could help reduce geographical barriers that prevent rural communities from accessing healthcare.
“Technology only becomes meaningful when it solves a real problem for people. Through our collaboration with NetOne, we are using connectivity as a bridge between rural communities and healthcare professionals, helping bring healthcare closer to the people,” Njerere said.
The partnership also supports telemedicine and other digital-health solutions aimed at improving access to healthcare services in remote communities.
NetOne said the initiative forms part of its broader Health & Care pillar under its 30th anniversary programme.
The company said the programme was also aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being, SDG 10 on reduced inequalities and SDG 17 on partnerships for development.