Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
FOR seven painful months, every step served as a reminder to Ms Rumbidzai Musekiwa of the day a crocodile attacked her and tried to drag her beneath the water. Unable to walk properly and dependent on external steel clamps fixed to her badly fractured leg, the 39-year-old communal farmer from Simbi Village in Kwekwe lived in constant pain and uncertainty, fearing she might never recover.
However, hope finally came last week inside an operating theatre at Gweru Provincial Hospital.
After surgeons successfully removed the heavy external clamps and replaced them with internal steel implants during a specialised trauma surgery camp, Ms Musekiwa said the procedure marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
“It has improved my condition from what it was before. I never thought I would recover to the stage I am at today,” she said from her hospital bed.
Ms Musekiwa said the operation means more than physical healing. It represents the chance to walk again, return to work and support the 14 children in her care — seven of her own and seven belonging to her bedridden sister.
“I have many children to look after, mouths to feed and therefore this procedure is about the possibility of giving me back my legs, the opportunity to rise up, work and provide for my family again,” she said.
Her ordeal began in February while travelling to a nearby market with fellow villagers. As they crossed a river, she was suddenly attacked.
“We were going to the market and one of my colleagues who was ahead crossed the river. As I was crossing, I was caught by the jaws of the crocodile,” she recalled.
“The crocodile pulled me into the water, but I held onto a tree branch so that it would not drag me further away. I just fought to stay alive.”
The crocodile had clamped her from the shin up to her waist. While some villagers fled in fear, one managed to alert nearby residents. Her cousin rushed to the scene and bravely entered the river to rescue her.
“He lifted both me and the crocodile out while it still had its grip on me,” she said. Villagers eventually forced a stick into the reptile’s mouth, making it release her.
She was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital, where doctors treated severe soft tissue injuries and multiple fractures.
Initially, her leg was stabilised using external steel clamps, a temporary but painful method used to save the limb while awaiting more advanced surgery.
Like many trauma patients, Ms Musekiwa then faced a long wait before receiving definitive treatment.
Her case was one of many handled during a recent week-long trauma camp at the hospital aimed at clearing a backlog of orthopaedic and trauma cases.
By the end of the programme, surgeons had carried out at least 30 complex operations involving patients injured in road traffic accidents, mining incidents and other serious situations.
Gweru Provincial Hospital, which serves as a referral centre for Midlands Province, regularly receives trauma patients, particularly those injured along major highways or in mining areas.
The hospital’s head of surgery, Dr Brian Paketh, said the increasing number of trauma cases continues to place heavy pressure on specialist services and operating theatres.
“We have major highways passing through the province and extensive mining activities, which result in many injuries requiring specialist management,” she said.
Due to limited theatre space and a shortage of specialist personnel, many patients wait months for surgery, raising the risk of complications and permanent disability.
“The trauma camp was introduced to address this directly. By dedicating theatre time and mobilising visiting specialist teams and partners, the hospital has been able to accelerate treatment for patients who would otherwise wait months,” said Dr Paketh.
For Ms Musekiwa, the wait had become extremely difficult. Her injuries left her unable to work or carry out basic daily tasks, putting severe strain on her family.
“My father initially helped with medical and living expenses, but could no longer manage the burden alone. What he had was now exhausted and we had nowhere to turn to. I needed help with medical bills as well as support for my children,” she said.
Hospital authorities say cases like hers show the wider impact of trauma injuries on families and communities.
Medical superintendent Dr Fabian Mashingaidze said many patients are economically active individuals whose injuries affect entire households.
“Prompt surgical care not only reduces disability but also helps families avoid the economic fallout of a breadwinner being unable to work,” he said.
In response to growing demand for specialist care, the hospital now plans to turn the trauma camp into a regular programme held every quarter.
“The goal is to build a predictable system that reduces waiting times, improves outcomes and keeps patients closer to home rather than referring them to Harare or Bulawayo,” said Dr Mashingaidze.
“This is about improving access to specialist healthcare services for the people of the Midlands. When we can bring the specialists here, we reduce costs for patients and families, and we make better use of our theatre time.”
In addition to treating patients, the trauma camp is also helping to train junior doctors and nurses, strengthening local capacity in managing complex injuries.
For Ms Musekiwa, the surgery has brought renewed hope. After months of pain and uncertainty, she can now begin looking forward to rebuilding her life.
derick.khumalo