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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
The Environment Management Agent (EMA) has joined hands with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Agritex to raise awareness on the proper handling of hazardous chemicals to avoid death and long-term health complications.
Both farming and mining communities say suicide has emerged as one of the major causes of death among middle-aged men in Mashonaland Central.
The men are reportedly turning to hazardous chemicals such as pesticides and mining chemicals including cyanide to end their lives.
This came out during community sharing sessions being conducted by the EMA and its stakeholders in the African Chemobs project. The Chemobs Project deals with the sound management of agriculture, mining, and industrial chemicals and is coordinated by the Africa Institute under the auspices of UNEP.
Principal Environmental Education and Publicity Officer Mr Liberty Mugadza said chemicals are a potential silent killer if not properly handled during transportation, storage, use and disposal.
The awareness campaign on proper use of chemicals is being carried out in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and the Central Statistics Office (ZimStats) among other stakeholders.
“The programme started in 2018 but was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its broad aim includes to collect data on the chemical and behavioural pattern which increase exposure,” said Mr Mugadza.
He said the best disposal of chemicals is to use them and only buy enough chemicals for the intended use.
“Illegal chemical dumpsites have been identified with potential to pose a risk to residents.”
The delegation went to Ming Chang Mine where two men committed suicide recently using cyanide, a lethal chemical used in mining.
Plant Manager Mr Mairos Kariza said they use a lot of chemicals and they ensure the safety of employees through protective clothing and proper use and storage of mining chemicals.
“Recently, we lost two men in this community who committed suicide. As a company, we guard our chemicals to ensure that people don’t have access. We also have customer milling and we are surrounded by small-scale miners.
“This means that people have easy access to mining chemicals. We have safety talks but we need people who conduct counseling sessions in communities,” said Mr Kariza.
Mr Phinias Mushandu from Quennes Gift Mine is Shamva said he conducts daily assessments on the mood of the employee before allowing them to handle chemicals.
“Besides cyanide, we also use caustic soda and acids which means we use respirators and proper handling. Some chemicals don’t have an immediate impact but long-term effects,” he said.
At Richlands Farm popularly known as Magobo Farm in Shamva, a man trapped rats using a poisoned fish that his son picked up and ate resulting in death.
Mrs Netsai Chimborera said men were taking pesticides because of infidelity issues.
“When he gets paid and spends all the money with prostitutes, you cannot ask him because he will take poison,” she said.
“Some men who are involved in sexual relations with minors and end up committing suicide after being exposed.”
Mr Muneni Chikazingeni said men suffer in silence and don’t open up easily resulting in suicide cases.
“When a man catches his wife being promiscuous, he cannot share that and suffers silently. During arguments, women say hurtful things and the easy solution for men is a suicide,” he said.
Online Reporter