First Lady takes tree planting, medical outreach programmes to Mbire

Tendai Rupapa

Senior Reporter

ENVIRONMENT patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa last Friday led the planting of fruit trees at Chitsungo District Hospital and surrounding schools in Mushumbi, Mbire district, where she also took her mobile clinic to ensure people in hard-to-reach areas have access to medical services so that ailments are detected and treated early to save lives.

The programmes are a continuation of the First Lady’s all-inclusive national empowerment programmes, under which no place and no one are being left behind.

Distance is not a barrier to Amai Mnangagwa, who went with her Angel of Hope (AOH) Foundation’s mobile clinic and a team of health experts on the peripheries of Mashonaland Central province, where people benefitted from cervical, breast and prostate cancer screening, HIV testing and counselling, Covid-19 vaccination, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, routine immunisations, family planning services and hypertension checks, among other checks for non-communicable diseases.

There were other side stations assisting the mobile clinic.

Regular health checks, the First Lady told the community, allow for early detection of ailments and timeous placement of people on treatment. Dr Mnangagwa took the opportunity to address social issues and spoke candidly against domestic violence, teenage pregnancies, child marriages, promiscuity and harmful practices that cause cancer, especially cervical cancer.

She also spoke against deforestation, saying the country is grappling with the challenges of deforestation, where people are cutting down trees without replacing them, thereby disrupting the ecosystem and promoting many environmental challenges.

The First Lady started by interacting with scores of women who had queued to be screened for cancer.

“I am happy with your coming here madzimai in numbers for free health checks. Kubva kuvakuru kusvika kune vechidiki, mese mauya nehuhwandu hwenyu nekuti hutano hwakakosha,” she said.

Some of the women told the First Lady that it was their first time to be screened for cancer and thanked her for bringing the services to their doorstep.

The First Lady gave them words of encouragement.

“I have brought my Angel of Hope Foundation’s mobile clinic so that you can be examined free of charge. I want you to return home knowing where you stand and preserving good health. Let us be screened for cancer. It is not a painful procedure. I go through the same procedure. If I am doing it, you can also do it. You should always know where you stand health-wise, madzimai, kuti tizorambe tichigona kushanda tichirima muminda yedu takagwinya,” she said.

The women thanked Amai Mnangagwa for her medical outreach programme and for explaining to them what cervical cancer screening was all about as some of them were scared of being screened for fear of the unknown.

“What are some of the causes of cancer that you know?” the First Lady asked.

In response, one woman said: “Amai, women have since time immemorial used traditional herbs for various health reasons, but now, they have gone an extra mile, inserting herbs in the cervix, paving the way for cervical cancer. They are doing this to increase sexual pleasure.”

Amai Mnangagwa discouraged women from doing so and outlined the dangers of such practices.

“What you are inserting in your privates might not affect you today but in future you will suffer the consequences. Some said they are doing this to please their husbands, but if you die of cancer, the same man will move on with his life and marry another woman. Let us stay healthy and avoid such harmful practices,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa then moved to the next tent where women where seeking various services, including family planning.

The First Lady explained that family planning did not translate to stopping child bearing, but promotes spacing and limits numbers to manageable levels.

She urged the women to discuss with their spouses family planning methods so that they move together on the same page.

Dr Mnangagwa encouraged those who had not completed their Covid-19 vaccination to do so. The First Lady, who has a passion for promoting healthy living among citizens, toured a stand where women from the community were showcasing a variety of traditional foods and drinks they had prepared, showing how her traditional cookout programme has reached even the most remote areas. The chefs were led by Mrs Shelter Chitsungo, who came third in the national competition last year. Amai Mnangagwa later addressed people who had gathered.

“I am happy that we have come to spend time together as a family. I am here because of the correct choice you made to vote President Mnangagwa back in office so that he continues with his development agenda. As his spouse, it also gives me the opportunity to continue with our programmes and projects. Ndinokutendai Mash Central. Today, I have brought the tree planting programme because this is the time. The whole way coming here, I saw that people are cutting down trees without replacing them.

“These trees beautify our country and help mitigate the effects of climate change, they give us fruits and medicines. The medicines we see in hospitals and clinics are made from these trees and if we cut them down, we are doomed.

Trees are life. They take long to grow, so let us protect them. Elders in communities, I implore you to lead by example and teach children the importance of planting trees,” she said.

She said the other programme she had brought was that of health checks.

“The other issue I came with is that of cancer screening. I want women to be screened for breast and cervical cancer, while men go for prostate cancer screening. There are many health stations supporting my AOH mobile clinic. Children are being protected against HPV and this also protects from cancer. I hear our children are entering sexual relations at tender ages and this is unacceptable. You will be exposing yourself to diseases. Mwanasikana zvibate.

“Cancer knows no age and does not select whether one is male or female. I asked an elderly lady in a queue for cancer screening and she said she was glad to be screened for cancer, saying it was her first time to undergo the process. When diagnosed with an ailment, it allows you to commence treatment early. I will continue visiting all parts of the country, discussing issues to do with cancer. Dzimwe cancer dzakukonzerwa nezvinodhaka zviri kunwiwa nekuputwa nevana vedu. Let us all shun drugs,” she said.

“What are some of the causes of cancer that you know?”

In response, Mrs Chiyedza Musiiwa said: “Inserting charms in our privates causes cancer. Some do so to entice men or to abort pregnancies.”

An elderly man said magical potions used by women were also affecting men.

Mr Fidelis Machiridza said: “Charms used by women which they are inserting in their privates are affecting us as men when we have sexual intercourse with them. The charms are affecting our manhood and blocking our ‘tubes’. Many are dying with swollen private parts due to these charms.”

Sekuru Elias Munyoro praised the First Lady for her teachings and said women must be discouraged from using muti.

Mr Nesbert Mabhande blamed his fellow men.

“It is us who are causing our wives to insert charms because we are having extramarital affairs. Our wives think if they insert those charms, we will not love other women outside.”

Linier Manonge blamed early sexual debuts on social media influences.

“Girls of my age are rushing to have sexual relations because of social media and this is bad and it affects their studies,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa appointed her an ambassador and formed a team to work with her in discouraging sexual relations among young girls in schools.

The environment patron said she would come back with another programme on human and wildlife conflict.

She spoke candidly against the cutting down of trees and burning of forests, saying this kills people, destroys the natural habitat of wild animals and other creatures.

Dr Mnangagwa educated the gathering on Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank and Empower Bank, and promised to bring projects that are suitable for the community.

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo thanked the First Lady for the tree planting and medical outreach programmes.

He thanked her for her commitment to fighting cancer.

Representing the national gender-based violence (GBV) call centre 575, which is in the office of the First Lady, Ms Locardia Magobeya said the mother of the nation saw GBV as a major challenge in the country and opened the facility to receive complaints from all people at one station so that they can get help.

Sister Maindy Chipokosa, the district nursing officer, said the area had been blessed by the First Lady’s visit and they were grateful that she brought her mobile clinic.

“Some people hide their ailments for fear of stigmatisation, but Amai has taught them that it is important to speak up and get help early. Mostly cancer patients seek treatment late, resulting in increased premature deaths. Early detection is key to successfully treating any form of cancer,” she said.

Mrs Rhodia Chiunze (45) said she had undergone her first health checks, courtesy of the First Lady.

“I am grateful for this. I had never gone through cervical cancer screening and today, I have done so free of charge because of our caring mother. We want to thank her for her mission, which has helped us because we never knew this was important in life. Today, Amai has taught us a lot,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa donated mealie meal to the gathering.