adminCatherine Murombedzi
A NEIGHBOUR lost her husband sometime last year after a stroke. There were many versions to what caused the stroke. Self styled prophets who were called in said that the man had been attacked by evil spirits in the form of birds. (Aive arohwa nezvishiri)
The ill man who had been taken to hospital was discharged within a week and the struggle at home started in earnest. Each child brought in a ‘specialist’ from their church and the emaciated man was carried in and out of the house for prayer sessions.
The self-styled prophets dipped the man in milk and egg baths and forced the patient to drink a cocktail of oil, water, milk, eggs and honey which to a sick man was too much. This gave the man a running stomach to worsen an already bad situation.
The man was finally taken to his rural home after two months of trying this and that without success. He lasted only a week and went to join his ancestors.
The wife came to pack his belongings this week and I paid my condolences.
The wife dispelled the myth that her husband was attacked by evil spirits. Since she lived in the rural areas most of the time with the husband working in town, she did not monitor her husband’s health.
“I live in the rural areas most of the time, only coming to town when it is necessary, so I did not know that baba had stopped taking his medication. He was diabetic, had high blood pressure and was taking some anti-retroviral drugs too. We received enough counselling that all the medication that he was taking were life saving and that at no time was he supposed to stop or change them without the doctor’s advice. It seemed to work well and as usual I would come and go back to the rural areas without noticing anything amiss,” said the wife.
The wife said challenges could have started when the eldest son who is married joined a firm that sells herbal supplements.
“Our eldest son joined a group that sells herbal supplements and at one time approached me saying I could stop taking ARVs which I scoffed at. I told him that ARVs were for life and only the doctor could move me to another stronger medication if the need arose. As of now, I was fine and had no problem with my medication. I told him that what he was selling were supplements and as such would just supplement someone taking medication. I told him that I needed to ask my doctor first if the supplements would not interfere with my medication,” she said.
On that note we closed the herbal supplement issue and I thought he had understood.
“I was surprised one early morning to get a phone call from town saying baba had stroked,” she said.
The woman wasted no time and rushed to town. She found her husband admitted in hospital with a severe stroke and unable to talk or move a limb.
“I rushed to town the same morning and on arrival at the hospital I was shocked to see that baba was a heap of stiffness, not able to talk or move,” she said.
Since she did not know that her husband had stopped taking medication she prayed for his recovery, but in vain.
“Baba was discharged and we went home. After two days we hired a truck and left for our rural home. I was shocked to find that there were bottles and envelopes of unused tablets for all the three ailments. I asked baba, but he could only stare at me. I knew that something was not adding up. Baba had not been taking his medication, but collecting it from the clinic and hiding it in the bag. I found the herbal supplements and I knew what had happened. My son refuted that he was the supplier,” said the wife.
“That is how we lost baba. But I tell you conscience is the master of us all. During the memorial service, our son stood up and said he had a confession to make. I already knew what he was going to say despite him having denied supplying baba with the supplements,” said the wife.
The son went on to apologise for having caused his father’s death. He narrated that he had asked his father to stop using all the tablets he had been using for life and try the herbal supplements for a year. The man did not even last a year, within three months he succumbed to the folly.
“I believed what we were taught at the firm that supplies us with the herbal supplements. There had people who had given testimonies that they had stopped taking life medication and were now using supplements without any side effects. I also wanted the best for my parents and asked baba to try the supplements. I gave him for free and asked him to mix the intake with his old medications. Mama had refused when I asked her to try. I am sorry I did not intend to kill my father, please hear me out, I am heavy with guilty,” the son is said to have confessed.
I told my neighbour that people are in business and they need to sell anything even water to make a living.
It was, however, fatal that the son believed the ‘success’ testimonies given and ended up losing his father. He has since stopped selling the supplements.
Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Services (SAfAIDS) is on record warning people not to mix herbal supplements and ARVs or any other medication without getting the greenlight from your doctor.
SAfAIDS communications manager, Tariro Makanga-Chikumbirike, said it was unfortunate that people who need to make money still come on to the market with supplements that have not been proven to be effective.
“The last time there was epikaizo and a lot of noise was made that the herbal supplement is the answer. Please just see your doctor or health consultant at your nearest clinic with whatever you have been given. They will advise you correctly. Our advice is, do not mix the intake of ARVs and herbal supplements. You never know what the reaction will be, it could have severe side effects,” said Makanga-Chikumbirike.
With hard times, water is on sale, so is basic cooking oil disguised as anointed water and oil.
Prayer is not for sale. I talk to my God directly and need no anointed substance from anyone. I can pray for my water and oil, yes, I have the power and blessing to do so.
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