Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
FOR the past 18 years, Mr Headmore Muneri from Binga District endured the discomfort of having his son being called a “one leg boy” after he sustained burns when he was just five months old, which made it difficult for him to use his left leg as he grew up.
The sad tale has turned into hope and excitement after his son, Tanatswa (18), underwent his first successful plastic surgery at Cure Hospital in Bulawayo recently to try and correct the disability, which was caused by the burns.
Tanatswa is one of the over 50 patients that have underwent plastic surgery at the specialist hospital since it started offering the service two months back.
Apart from the plastic surgeries the children’s hospital has also introduced cleft palate and cleft lip correction for minors, a development that has been welcomed by a lot of patients since it is offered all year round.
Mr Muneri said he had lost hope that his son’s disability could be corrected as they visited a lot of hospitals when he was still a baby but could not get proper help.
“He was burnt by boiling water when he was just five months old. We tried by all means to get his disability corrected when he was still young but we did not get any help,” he said.
“It was last year when he went to visit his aunt who called me saying her friend had told her about Cure and if l was interested l could come to Bulawayo so we could go and visit the hospital.”
Mr Muneri said he went to the hospital where his son was seen by a doctor who then booked him for surgery. He said the first surgery was to remove the overlapping skin, which had formed due to the burns and once that is done, he will start doing physiotherapy so that he can strengthen his leg.
Seemingly overcome by emotion, Mr Muneri said he was happy his son had finally got help as his disabled condition broke his heart seeing him being called names by his peers and people who lived around them.
“Living with a disability especially when one is living in the rural areas is very difficult. Because his leg hindered his mobility, moving around is difficult for him and doing basic chores like herding cattle, fetching water and walking a long distance to school was almost impossible,” he said.
“Another thing that pains me is how he is unable to do a simple thing like kicking a soccer ball. So, even if he wanted to do sport, he would not be able to do it,” said Mr Muneri.
He said he was hopeful that nothing will hinder the progress that his son has been making and by the end of the year he will be also walking. Mr Johnson Simpson, a director at Cure Hospital, said they were excited with the plastic surgeries they are now offering.
He said they are working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care because they realised how few plastic surgeries are in the country while there is a great need of them especially for young children.
“We are happy to be offering this surgery because it is a way of offering a future with no stigma for these children and it makes us very happy.
“We know it’s a fairly new procedure especially in our region but we are very confident of the end product and of the safety of our patients,” said Mr Simpson.
He said they were looking forward to introducing speech therapy as time goes on. — @flora_sibanda
Online Reporter