By 
By Ross Moyo
Minister of Defence Hon. Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri says partnerships between government and the private sector that decentralise health services are critical to Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2.
She was speaking in Mutasa District where NetOne, through its NetOne @30 Medical Outreach Initiative, brought health services closer to communities as part of its Health and Care pillar.
The outreach is being implemented in partnership with ZimSmart Villages as part of a nationwide rollout targeting 30 districts and approximately 90,000 households, with about 3,000 households expected per district.
The Mutasa outreach was also attended by Minister of State for Manicaland Province Hon. Misheck Mugadza.
Addressing the outreach, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said healthy communities are central to national development.
“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. Healthcare is fundamental to development because healthy communities are better positioned to participate meaningfully in the social and economic development of our country,” she said.
She commended the collaboration between government, the private sector and development partners, noting that bringing essential services closer to rural communities reduces travel burdens and complements public health efforts.
For NetOne, which is marking 30 years of operations, the Mutasa outreach is part of a broader push to translate connectivity into social impact.
Public Relations Manager Ernest Magadzire said
“The company wanted the anniversary to go beyond network coverage.”
“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,” he said.
NetOne added that “the initiative contributes to SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals, while supporting NDS2 priorities on human capital development.”
Government officials framed the model as one where private telecoms infrastructure supports public service delivery, particularly in districts where the nearest clinic can be more than 10 kilometres away.
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