Source: Minister visits ailing war veterans – herald
Takunda Gambiza
Herald Reporter
VETERANS of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Monica Mavhunga conducted home visits to ailing liberation war veterans to assess their welfare, identify service delivery gaps and strengthen long-term care mechanisms for elderly and incapacitated comrades.
She said the visits were part of the ministry’s mandate to ensure veterans’ welfare and economic empowerment through direct engagement at the household level.
“Our responsibility is to see to it that the welfare of veterans of the liberation struggle is properly looked after and that they are economically empowered,” she said.
“We provide medical benefits and health services, but it is important to come here and understand the real challenges they face.”
The minister noted that the outreach specifically targeted veterans who are bedridden or experiencing mobility challenges.
“Some of our comrades are aged and cannot move by themselves. We decided to visit them so that we can see if there are gaps in the services we are providing and address them,” she explained.
Among those visited was Cde Susan Rutanhire, a war veteran and wife of national hero, Cde George Rutanhire, who was part of the first group of female combatants trained at Nachingwea in Tanzania.
Minister Mavhunga said Cde Rutanhire highlighted difficulties in accessing transport for medical visits.
“Whenever she wants to go to hospital, she faces transport challenges. We have engaged our provincial and district officers to ensure that she is assisted whenever she needs to visit health facilities,” she said.
“As a long-term plan, it is important for us to have mobile clinics so that our comrades can be assisted while they are at their homes, especially those who cannot move.”
The minister also visited Cde Maungwe, a former soldier and police officer who sustained serious injuries after repeated falls and now suffers from severe mobility impairment.
“Doctors have not yet established how best they can assist him,” said Minister Mavhunga, adding that the veteran now lives with his children following the death of his wife during the Covid-19 period.
“We will try our level best to ensure that he receives the assistance he needs.”
During the visits, the minister handed over hampers to the veterans as part of the ministry’s welfare support.
Visits were also made to Cdes Muzwidzwa and Munemo, both of whom are responding to treatment.
On Cde Munemo, Minister Mavhunga said he cannot walk on his own and is presently in a wheelchair, but improving.
“We have been encouraged to take him for rehabilitation so that he can be trained to use the wheelchair independently,” she said.
The minister added that the ministry plans to establish rehabilitation centres, halfway homes and mobile clinics.
“There are comrades who have no one to look after them. We really need halfway homes where we can take them for a while until they are able to look after themselves,” she said.
Minister Mavhunga added that the ministry also supported veterans economically through the War Veterans Fund.
“Even if a comrade is sick, projects such as poultry can help them survive. That is why we provide loans to empower them to establish income-generating projects,” she said.
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