Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
FOR many families in Kwekwe, the knock on the door bearing news of a loved one’s death from silicosis has become an all-too-familiar tragedy, with Kwekwe District Hospital losing nearly one patient every week to the incurable lung disease linked to prolonged exposure to silica dust.
Medical superintendent Dr Tinashe Gunda revealed the grim statistics while speaking to journalists during a blanket donation by one of Kwekwe’s leading supermarkets, saying the disease continues to exact a heavy toll on the mining community.
“We also average about one death a week. Two weeks ago we recorded two deaths in a single week. That gives us 50 to 60 deaths a year, which is unacceptable,” he said.
Dr Gunda said silicosis remains the hospital’s biggest respiratory challenge, with admissions consistently outpacing discharges.
“Silicosis is a major challenge in Kwekwe, and we have seen little change from previous years. We continue to receive many patients with the condition and still face difficulties in managing them,” he said.
At any given time, between 12 and 15 patients occupy hospital wards battling the disease, placing pressure on resources and underscoring the scale of the challenge in the gold-mining town.
“There is a serious silicosis challenge we are facing and to date about 22 people have succumbed to the disease,” he said.
Silicosis is a serious occupational lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of fine silica dust, commonly generated during mining, quarrying, construction, stone-cutting and brick-making activities. In Kwekwe, where mining is a key economic activity, exposure levels remain particularly high.
The microscopic particles lodge deep in the lungs, causing irreversible scarring that gradually impairs breathing. Health experts say there is no cure once the disease develops.
“Unfortunately, once silicosis develops it is very difficult to treat – in fact, it is incurable. So we still face a significant challenge,” said Dr Gunda.
To stem the growing burden, Kwekwe District Hospital is planning community-based interventions targeting mining communities, including health education campaigns and screening programmes aimed at early detection and prevention.
“What we need is health education and outreach. We must go into mining communities to screen workers and educate them so we can reduce new cases of silicosis,” he said.
Dr Gunda said the impact of measures introduced so far has yet to be felt but expressed confidence that sustained awareness campaigns and routine screening could reduce the number of severe cases reaching hospital.
“We have not yet seen the impact of what we have put in place, but I am confident that if we start screening and educating miners, we can reduce the number of cases presenting at the hospital,” he said.
Dr Gunda called for stronger collaboration between healthcare providers, local communities and mining sector stakeholders to tackle the disease.
“The weekly deaths and constant admissions show silicosis is not fading as a public health threat. With no cure available, we are now prioritising community screening and education to detect cases early and cut exposure among miners,” he said.
