daniel chigunwe
Tendai Rupapa
Senior Reporter
HEALTH ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa warmed many hearts yesterday when she took her two-day medical outreach and wellness programme to Gokwe.
The programme unlocked access to vital health checks for free, for communities including people living in hard-to-reach areas, and the First Lady gave clinics equipment and medical sundries.
Using her Angel of Hope Foundation ( AoHF)’s mobile hospital and mobile clinic, which were manned by personnel from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Mnangagwa ensured women were screened for cervical and breast cancer while men were screened for prostate cancer.
Other services offered included HIV and Aids testing, and checks for diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases so that beneficiaries are well informed about their health.
The First Lady, through her AoHF, donated tonnes of rice and mealie meal to communities, while clinics received walking aids, wheelchairs, sanitary pads, gloves, and surgical masks.
The elderly received food and toiletry hampers while pregnant women were given baby preparation kits.
Amai Mnangagwa also donated stationery and sanitary pads to schoolchildren.
“I am giving learners these things because I want children to stay in school. At my age, I graduated with a PhD recently and it is my wish to prove to women and children that education is infinite and knows no age,” she said to wild applause.
When she arrived at Mapfungautsi Polyclinic, the mother of the nation started by interacting with women and men who were awaiting their turn to be screened for cervical, breast, and prostate cancer, giving them words of encouragement.
“It’s not painful my daughters and you grandmothers. I am glad you have come to know where you stand. I go for regular cancer screening, there is nothing fierce or painful. It’s good to know where you stand when it comes to your health. It is good to know early before the disease is advanced because if detected early, it can be cured,” she said.
She further commended men who came for prostate cancer screening imploring other men to follow suit.
So touching was the First Lady’s programme that it drove many to tears while some beneficiaries admitted they had never undertaken health checks like cancer screening.
The First Lady’s medical outreach was timely as it came at a time when the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe warned that in Zimbabwe, cancer was a major cause of morbidity and mortality with over 5 000 new diagnoses and over 1 500 deaths per year.
The number of people developing cancer, the association warned, is expected to increase due to HIV and AIDS and other infections and unhealthy lifestyle choices.
Dr Mnangagwa also held an interactive session with the community, promoting the consumption of traditional food that has high nutritional value and medicinal properties.
She also warned against domestic violence, drug and substance abuse as well as general lawlessness among youths.
Dr Mnangagwa urged the community to take advantage of the medical outreach to get screened and seek treatment early.
“It is my pleasure to be back here in Gokwe this new year as we thank the Almighty God for pulling us through. I come here in the Midlands Province with an assortment of programmes, but today, I have come primarily focusing on cancer, HIV and Aids, diabetes, hypertension and other non-communicable diseases so that we know where we stand health-wise. I came here with the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba programme teaching children good manners. I kindly ask the elderly, our chiefs, and their spouses to carry forward the programme by sitting children down and inculcating in them good morals,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said it was essential for people to know their health status.
“Today I encourage everyone present to be screened free of charge and leave this place knowing their health status. We say no to those who ascribe illnesses to unsubstantiated claims of witchcraft; go and be screened so that you get treatment.
“Cancer is a serious disease, but only you can win the war over it. If you bottle up and do not seek treatment when it is in its initial stages, you cut short your life. Cancer has stages, therefore my appeal to you is to be screened early so that you get treatment before it spreads. I was gratified to see men coming for health checks.
“Men seldom come forward for health checks. Mostly men shun having their health checked. For some men, if their wife is said to be healthy, they then conclude that they are also healthy, but this is not the case.
“Men must feel free to present for health checks,” she said.
The health ambassador said children were not spared as they needed to be checked too.
“Even the younger children get checked as well because HPV Human papillomavirus affects young people. I also warn young girls against rushing into sexual relations before the time is ripe because you place yourselves at risk of contracting many diseases. Virginity is a once-off state. As parents let us cast our eyes on our children, assessing their movements. These children are ruined by drugs and need parental guidance.
“Cancer is a global challenge and not for Zimbabwe alone. It knows no age, therefore let us guard our health jealously. Statistics show that cervical cancer is not the top of all cancers. I have also brought along experts from the National Aids Council. They have come to warn us against defaulting on taking (ARV) pills even when you reach the stage of not transmitting the infection to others.
“Some diseases which mostly affect people are linked to HIV. Some women are exposing themselves to the risk of contracting cervical cancer by inserting herbs in their private parts. Do not do that because you kill yourself. Do not be a backyard nurse without qualifications. I heard from another province that women were inserting herbs in their private parts so that men would not leave them. But if you die, he will continue with life
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