Chronicle Editor
Raymond Jaravaza – [email protected]
Ms Chipo Marinda, is hypertensive and she knows the dangers of defaulting on taking her medication but at times she has no option.
She spends an average of US$20 on BP medication every month, an amount that the 53-year-old woman sometimes fails to raise.
Ms Chirinda is unemployed and survives by selling second-hand clothes in her neighbourhood in Luveve suburb in Bulawayo.
This month, however, Ms Chirinda has one less monhtly expenditure to worry about and can use the money saved from BP medication to buy winter clothes for her five-year old granddaughter.
She is one of the beneficiaries of the Brian Samuriwo Foundation sponsored free medical health check-ups and free medication programme that was launched in Luveve suburb last weekend.
Comrade Samuriwo is the Zanu- PF aspiring Member of Parliament for Luveve/ Emakhandeni constituency in the harmonised 23 August elections.
His foundation, a non-profit organisation that he founded years ago, assists the less privileged including capacitating youths with self-sustaining projects such as carpentry and brick laying projects.
“I’m not ashamed to say that sometimes I default on taking my BP medication when I fail to get money to buy the pills. It’s a reality that I have to live with, money is hard to get these days and US$20 for the medication is a lot of money for someone like myself who is not gainfully employed,” said Ms Chirinda.
“I was diagnosed with the condition in early 2020 and I’m still adjusting to living with BP. When I heard that Samuriwo was bringing doctors for free medical check-ups and medicine, I was one of the first people to come here early in the morning.
“The doctor said my BP is stable and I was given free medication that will last a month so I’m very relieved,” she told Chronicle.
Four doctors, nurses and a pharmacist were onsite at Mudamburi Shopping Centre in Luveve for the free medical services.
Hordes of people mostly the elderly thronged the shopping centre to access the services, which Cde Samuriwo said was a non-political event meant to benefit all residents of Luveve.
“I was raised in Luveve and some of the elderly women and men I’m seeing here today are my parents and this is a way of giving back to the community that raised us.
“The medical services will be available every Monday going forward because we want to reach out to everyone in Luveve and Emakhandeni,” said Cde Samuriwo.
Mrs Janet Masuku (73), a diabetic, has been battling the condition for more than 20 years.
“I have not been to a check-up in a long time and I’m so happy that a child who grew up here in Luveve brought doctors and nurses to assist us for free,” she said.
“I have been given my medication and I really want to thank Samuriwo for the good job he is doing for us the elderly.”
The Brian Samuriwo Foundation also assists bereaved families in Emakhandeni and Luveve by availing a truck to ferry firewood, water and food for free to bereaved families.
Online Reporter