Cimas Health Group – NEWSSPACE

Pedal-2-Wellness lives up to billing

**cyclists prepare to start the Pedal-2-Wellness event**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The second edition of the Pedal-2-Wellness event which was hosted by Cimas Health Group through its wellness division iGO last Saturday, lived to up its billing as the Borrowdale Office Park was a hive of activity with hundreds of cyclists participating in the event.

The event which had elite, social and children cyclists, was meant to promote cardio fitness and raise awareness of drug and substance abuse within the community.

Head iGO, Dr Willmore Kapuyanyika, was equally ecstatic as the event went as planned.

“It’s a special Saturday as Cimas Health Group through its wellness division iGO, is hosting the second edition of Pedal-2-Wellness event meant to promote cardio fitness and raises awareness of drug and substance abuse within our community.

“Open to elite and social cyclists including children, the event is being held under the theme, “Pedal against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”.

“iGo is Cimas Health Group’s wellness division that provides access to a range of wellness services and resources.

“It serves as a pathway to holistic health, offering Cimas members the tools and support they need to enhance their eight aspects of wellness, namely, Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Spiritual, Social and Physical,” said Dr Kapuyanyika.

He added: “at Cimas Health Group, our purpose is to inspire healthier communities by providing global standard health and wellness solutions.

“Pedal-2-Wellness aligns perfectly with this purpose as it promotes preventive healthcare through physical activity.

“It reflects our desire of promoting a healthier lifestyle, fostering community engagement and providing support and education to improve the quality of life for everyone.

“Like what I have earlier said, at Cimas, we are committed to empowering our members to lead healthy and fulfilling lives,” added Dr Kapuyanyika.

The event had participants under the age of 13, who cycled for 4.5km, those over 13 did 22.5km and the elite cyclists who did 45km.

**and off they go…cyclists participate at the event**

iGo Wellness Coach, Godknows Muperekedzwa said taking time off busy schedule is an important way of managing your wellbeing.

“It’s a sign of ubuntu where the community is coming together for a social cause thus spreading a message against drug and substance use and illicit trafficking as well as extending a helping hand to those in need at Chikurubi Psychiatric Unit.

“This also resonate with our value of togetherness. It takes the whole village to raise up a child and together we make a difference, sustainability of interventions.

“We are the first medical aid to provide cover for mental health, created synergies with key service providers to improve the quality of care for our members, (Borrowdale Halfway Houses; Friendship Bench).

“Provision of group and personalised mental health interventions through our iGo department.

“A network of value partners as a way of not only incentivising to reinforce a positive behaviour but to ensure accessibility and affordability of these crucial services,” added Muperekedzwa.

One elite cyclist said participating in the Pedal-2-Wellness event and completing the 45km race was an exhilarating and rewarding experience as the journey tested physical endurance, mental strength and determination, as they were pushed to the limits while cycling through scenic routes.

“The atmosphere was filled with camaraderie, as fellow cyclists encouraged one another along the way.

“Crossing the finish line after such a long distance brought a deep sense of accomplishment and knowing it was all for promoting wellness made it even more fulfilling.”

Over 400 cyclists expected to pedal against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Over 400 cyclists are expected to participate at this year’s Pedal-2-Wellness event, which will be held under the theme “Pedal against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.”

The cycling event which is organised by iGo, Cimas Health Group’s wellness division, is in its second year and will be held next Saturday.

This was revealed by Cimas Health Group Chief Executive Officer, Vuli Ndlovu, ahead of the cycling event which is meant to promote physical well-being.

“Open to elite, and social cyclists including children, this year’s Pedal-2-Wellness, event will be held under the theme, “Pedal against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” with more than 400 cyclists expected to participate.

“Pedal-2-Wellness is part of Cimas’s broader commitment to promoting health and wellness to foster a healthier society.

“I urge cyclists to bring their helmets and bikes to Pedal against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu revealed that the event also promotes cardio fitness and raises awareness of drug and substance abuse.

“Cycling is not just about getting from one place to another, it is about enhancing our overall wellbeing. As more people choose to cycle, we can collectively work towards a healthier, greener, and more sustainable future.”

Speaking on the growing need for alternative transportation options, Ndlovu emphasised the importance of creating a safer environment for cyclists.

“Apart from offering remarkable benefits for physical health, cycling offers a safer and more environmentally friendly mode of transport.

“However, to fully realise these benefits, our City council must invest in infrastructure that ensures the safety of cyclists on the road,” Ndlovu said.

He added that there is a need for dedicated cycling lanes and proper signage to encourage more people to embrace cycling as a viable mode of transportation.

“Incorporating safer cycling infrastructure would not only reduce the risk of accidents but also contribute to reducing traffic congestion and lowering carbon emissions,” noted Ndlovu.

He underscored the need for collaborative efforts amongst the city council, corporate entities, and the public to make cycling a safer and more accessible option for all.

He also revealed that registration to participate at the Pedal-2-Wellness is being done online with the elite and social cyclists paying US$5 while children under the age of 13 will participate for free.

The event will start at 7:30 AM with the 45-km ride, followed by the fun ride at 7:45 AM and the children’s ride at 8:00 AM.

“Participants under the age of 13 years will cycle on the iGo strip and perimeter road of Borrowdale racecourse (4.5km), while those over 13 years will cycle on the road along the demarcated route (22.5km) from Borrowdale Office Park.

“The elite cyclists will complete two laps of the race, which is 45km, and there will be two water points, at the start and finish point of the race.

“As a safety measure, all participants are expected to wear helmets, which are available for hire at the venue on the day.

“Participants will receive a T-shirt and a medal after completing the event. As part of Cimas’ Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, part of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Chikurubi Psychiatric Unit, which supports mental health causes,” added Ndlovu.

CIMAS Health Group complementing government’s health systems

**Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano speaking to journalists during a tour of their mobile clinic**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) refers to healthcare system where everyone in a country or region has access to essential healthcare services, without facing financial hardship.

Among other issues UHC seeks to ensure accessibility, affordability, equity and quality in healthcare, which is one of the aims of Government.

And with that same approach, Zimbabwe’s largest private medical aid society, health and wellness service provider, Cimas Health Group; is set to achieve this with its recently acquired state of the art mobile clinic.

Journalists had a tour of the mobile clinic at the recently held Harare Agricultural Show, as they got an appreciation of this health game changer initiative.

Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano, said the initiative will take health services to the hard to reach areas of the country.

“You can be able to provide health care in the comfort of the person’s locality and really for those communities where the nearest health care facility can be kilometres away from where they stay.

“So that is the advantage of having a clinic that is on wheels and is able to do basically everything that you can find in a brick and mortar facility.

“It has the capacity to go to the communities, those hard to reach areas, so that is the plan.

“We have the Sustainable Development Goals and the main thrust there is that we should have Universal Health Coverage; so we understand that it not an assignment of the Government only. “So we come in to complement that and we should be able to reach the most peripheral parts of Zimbabwe, hardest to reach areas like Dotito, Muzarabani and go there with a clinic which is fully functional, same way you will have with a brick and mortar clinic,” said Dr Mushayamano.

He added that their mobile clinic has basically everything, including an ultra-sound scan for pregnant women.

“We have the equipment to do even minor procedures, when we visit places like mining areas where there are risks of injuries.

“The mobile clinic is registered with the Medical Aid Funders Association so what it means is that we can to be able to offer it to anyone who has a medical aid and claim from their medical aid but it also offers services on cash payment.

“So far we are trying to identify areas where you have limited capacity and the nearest health centres are quite far, like some mining areas, so we are trying to map how we are going to operate.

“We know that majority of our population lives in the rural areas so the health care data and access to health has to cover that population because that’s where most of the people are.

“So if we have more of these units, it actually helps a lot and it gives us much more quality data for reporting because really there are instances where people who are towards the borders even cross to access health care services.

“So this kind of services shall cover quite a lot of people and when we go to such hard to reach areas, we might have medical tourism from these border areas,” he said.

Dr Mushayamano added that they have plans to increase the units, but it all depends on the uptake of the service and how efficient it’s going to be.

“Initially we had actually planned to have two units, but then we decided to have one and see how it operates before expansion.”

**Cimas Health Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda**, **leads journalists on a tour of the mobile clinic**

Similar sentiments were also shared by the group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda, who said they are complementing the health systems that have been put in place by Government as well as other private healthcare players.

“This is a new service that we are offering and that (trip to a farm in Mhondoro) was our pilot trip.

“And we intend to come up with a schedule in terms of areas that we can service, depending with the need. But definitely we know there are members that have been asking us to come up with this innovation and I trust the uptake will actually be very high.

“So this is a first in its kind for us to be doing this and I think it’s based on research and input that we have gotten from our members.

“The pilot study was very successful; we did two days and based from the feedback from the patients; they actually wanted us to come back again the other day.

“So our outreach trips are going to be structured in such a way that we spend a week at a certain place so members in that area would then know that the Cimas mobile clinic is going to be coming first week of every month or last week of every month.

“So this is what we are in the process of coming up with and we trust very soon we will be able to do that.”

Taking health services to the people: Cimas Health Group acquires state of the art mobile clinic

**Cimas Health Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs. Tatenda Madzikanda, showing members of the media recently acquired Cimas Health Group Mobile Clinic at the Harare Agricultural Show on Saturday**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

In a ground breaking development, Zimbabwe’s largest private medical aid society, health and wellness service provider, Cimas Health Group, recently acquired a state of the art mobile clinic which will be staffed by a combination of health experts.

The development shows how Cimas Health Group continues to embrace innovative models to improve ways of service delivery in the health sector as services will be provided on wheels directly to communities in need.

The Cimas mobile clinic attracted hordes of show goers at the recently ended Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) exhibition in Harare, which was running under the theme: “Cultivating Prosperity Growing Business Innovating for Change. Nurturing our Future.”

Cimas Health Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Vulindlela Ndlovu said acquiring the mobile clinic underscores the group’s commitment to providing global standard health and wellness solutions regardless of their location or circumstances

“In today’s fast-paced world, access to quality healthcare is of utmost importance and as Cimas continues to be innovative in the health sector, we purchased a mobile clinic in our efforts to improve the accessibility of health services.

“This mobile clinic is a transformative tool in the healthcare delivery system as it revolutionises the way medical services are provided. It brings healthcare directly to communities, regardless of their location or infrastructure limitations,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu added that through the mobile clinic, they seek to take health services delivery to underserved populations and areas with limited or reduced healthcare infrastructure.

“Our mobile clinic will be used to provide a wide range of services that can be tailored to specific needs of the populations thereby bringing healthcare directly to communities in need,” he noted.

“Using this mobile clinic will help us expand our efforts to deliver health care to less privileged societies as the mobile clinic will be used to cater for a wide range of healthcare needs, including preventive care, vaccinations, health education, and primary healthcare services.”

**Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics Dr. Travolta Mushayamano speaking to members of the media during the tour of the Cimas Health Group stand at the Harare Agricultural Show on Saturday**

He further noted that by operating this mobile clinic, Cimas can bridge the healthcare gap and ensure that even the most vulnerable populations can receive the medical attention they deserve.

“Strengthening health service delivery is crucial for Cimas and to the achievement of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include the delivery of interventions to reduce child mortality and maternal mortality,” added Ndlovu.

Journalists were taken on a tour of the Cimas Health Group stand at ZAS, and they got to experience the services offered.

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