Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
FOR three years, a painful hernia had robbed a nine-year-old boy of the simple joys of childhood, making it difficult for him to attend school.
His mother, Martha Nowakhe of Bulawayo, had knocked on many hospital doors and even approached private health facilities, only to be told she needed US$600 for an operation, which she could not afford.
Last week her hopes were raised when she saw a Facebook poster advertising free surgical services.
Nowakhe travelled with her son to Gwanda Provincial Hospital, where he finally received the medical attention after waiting for many years.
“My son has been struggling to go to school and lead a normal life because of the hernia. I went to a hospital in Bulawayo but failed to see a doctor. I then saw a poster on Facebook about the free medical services and came to Gwanda Provincial Hospital, where my son has now been assisted,” she said.
“I had taken him to some private health facilities and they told me that I had to pay US$600 for the surgery, but I did not have the money. I am grateful for this outreach programme.”
The young boy was among more than 200 patients who accessed free specialist medical services during a two-day surgical outreach conducted at Gwanda, Maphisa and Filabusi hospitals in Matabeleland South province.
About 90 patients underwent surgical operations free of charge under a partnership involving Government, the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe and other partners.
The outreach, held on Tuesday and Wednesday, offered general, paediatric, ear, nose and throat, orthopaedic and urology services, giving patients who had endured pain and waited years for treatment a chance to reclaim their health.
Sibiziwe Matshazi of Gwanda said the programme offered renewed hope for her nine-year-old grandson, who was born with multiple medical conditions requiring costly surgical procedures.
She said the child’s father disappeared after learning of his son’s condition, leaving her with the difficult responsibility of raising the boy and trying to find money for his medical care.
Unable to afford the required procedures, Matshazi had struggled for years to secure the specialised treatment her grandson needed.
Another beneficiary, Duduzile Nyathi, had been living with pain since 2018.
Her husband, Mr Hloniphani Ndlovu, said financial constraints had prevented the family from seeking treatment until the outreach brought free surgical services closer to home.
“I accompanied my wife for an operation and she is now recovering after undergoing surgery. She has been living in pain since 2018, but we could not afford the costs. The doctors said she had a hernia,” he said.
Surgical Society of Zimbabwe secretary-general Dr Precious Mutambanengwe said the outreach had brought life-changing relief to patients and their families.
She said the programme provided free consultations and surgical procedures, with many of the operations involving the removal of hernias in children and adults, as well as masses.
Dr Mutambanengwe said about 50 health professionals, including surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses from different parts of the country, volunteered their services.
“We have seen a need in the country when it comes to surgical services, but most particularly in Matabeleland South. As health staff, we need to meet people at their point of need,” she said.
“We do not only have to wait for patients to come to us hence this outreach, which we hold annually.
We have touched lives and you could tell how impactful the programme has been.”
Some travelled for many kilometres to access this service. The programme has benefited adults and children who had waited for a very long time to get a solution for their health problems.
“The true impact of the programme is immeasurable. You can see from the smiles on their faces and those of the parents that a huge burden has been lifted,” said Dr Mutambanengwe.
“Their children can now go to school and people can finally go to work without discomfort. This programme provided a solution for operations that had been outstanding for years because of the unavailability of theatre time and surgeons to perform these procedures.”
The Surgical Society of Zimbabwe conducts an annual surgical outreach as part of its conference programme.
With this year’s conference being held in Bulawayo, the outreach focused on communities in the Matabeleland region.
The programme was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, which provided health facilities, drugs, equipment and personnel, while other partners, including Celebration Health and DMD, supplied surgical sundries.
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Dr Andrew Muza said the outreach was improving communities’ access to specialist healthcare services.
“As a province, we have been privileged to host the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe. They have been working from health facilities in three districts, namely Maphisa, Filabusi and Gwanda, offering surgical and specialist services to our people who rarely have access to such services,” he said.
“We are grateful for the support that we have received and we believe this has improved patient care. It is part of our ministry’s commitment to offer critical healthcare services to all.”
The initiative complements the Second Republic’s efforts towards universal health coverage and improved access to quality healthcare, particularly for communities that struggle to access specialist services.
Government has placed healthcare at the centre of its development agenda in line with Vision 2030 and is working towards establishing at least one fully equipped hospital in each of Zimbabwe’s 64 districts.
