Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke recently in Kwekwe
WORKING in small-scale mines around Kwekwe for years, 52-year-old Mr Moses Ndaba dismissed the persistent coughing, exhaustion and breathlessness that slowly tightened around his chest.
He believed the symptoms would eventually disappear.
Instead, they worsened, eventually forcing him to seek medical attention.
Doctors initially diagnosed him with tuberculosis, a disease commonly associated with mining communities because of prolonged exposure to silica dust.
But the symptoms did not go away.
“Since 2016, I could feel that my body was failing me but I kept ignoring some of the symptoms thinking it was nothing serious. When I finally went to the hospital, I was diagnosed with TB and went on treatment but they realised that it was not only TB. They did more tests which revealed that I also had silicosis,” he said.
Today, the once active miner struggles to stand, walk or eat without assistance. Even speaking for extended periods leaves him gasping for breath.
His survival now depends on three oxygen concentrators operating continuously throughout the day and night.
For Mr Ndaba, electricity has become as essential as medication. He recalls how difficult it became to manage his condition at home, especially during prolonged power cuts that rendered his oxygen concentrators useless. Whenever electricity failed, he would be on the brink of death and his family would scramble to find transport back to the hospital.
“At one point in 2020, I spent more than a year admitted in hospital because I couldn’t risk going back home where there was no electricity. Now the hospital has been my home for another year and a half because there is constant electricity so I can always get oxygen,” he said.
Mr Ndaba’s story reflects a growing crisis confronting Kwekwe, where cases of silicosis continue to rise among current and former miners from surrounding mining communities.
Silicosis is an incurable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling fine crystalline silica dust generated during drilling, blasting and crushing of rocks. The condition permanently scars the lungs, reducing their ability to absorb oxygen.
Patients often develop severe breathing complications, chronic fatigue and recurring infections. In many cases, the disease also increases susceptibility to tuberculosis, creating a dangerous combination that requires long-term medical care and oxygen support.
Kwekwe General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Tinashe Gunda said the mining town has seen an alarming increase in cases, particularly among artisanal and small-scale miners who often work without adequate protective equipment.
“It is a very big challenge that we are having. As you know, this is a mining town. We have a lot of our population working in the mines, being small-scale miners, and these are prone to silicosis. In 2025, we had 88 patients with silicosis. Of these, we had 42 deaths in just one year. So, this is a very serious condition that we should at all times try and prevent,” he said.
Dr Gunda said the hospital admits about 10 silicosis patients at any given time, while new cases continue to increase each month.
The disease, he added, places enormous strain on the institution because most patients rely heavily on oxygen therapy.
Among those benefitting from the availability of oxygen is former mine worker Mr Raphael Kambalami from Zhombe, who only began experiencing symptoms more than 20 years after retiring from the mines.
Mr Kambalami said he started experiencing persistent breathing difficulties before eventually collapsing one day.
He was referred to Kwekwe General Hospital after initially seeking treatment at a clinic in Zhombe.
“When I went for an X-ray, they discovered that I had an accumulation of fine dust in my lungs from the time I worked in the mines. I was told this was silicosis acquired during my years in mining. But I retired in 2002 and only started experiencing the symptoms last year,” he said.
Another patient, Mr Shelton Nyanhewe from Gokwe South, initially believed he was suffering from an ordinary cough but he started losing weight and his condition rapidly deteriorated.
He was first treated for tuberculosis but later returned to hospital after developing severe breathing complications.
“At some point I could no longer walk even a short distance before getting out of breath and feeling weak. I came back and they diagnosed me with silicosis and I got an oxygen concentrator which helps me to breathe,” he said.
The growing demand for uninterrupted oxygen support has made reliable electricity one of the hospital’s most critical needs.
To strengthen healthcare delivery and reduce service disruptions, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, with financial and technical support from the Global Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, installed a 140kva solar power system at the hospital.
This was undertaken as part of the broader Covid-19 Response Mechanism, which has channelled substantial investments into strengthening health infrastructure and addressing long-standing gaps in water supply, electricity, diagnostic services and waste management.
At Kwekwe hospital, the solar installation now powers several critical departments, ensuring essential services continue even during prolonged electricity outages.
Hospital administrator Ms Abigail Mukazhu said the facility had significantly improved operations since the installation of the 194-panel solar system.
She said the solar plant now serves as the hospital’s primary power source, while generators come in as backup when batteries are depleted.
Ms Mukazhu said the solar system had also reduced disruptions in departments that rely heavily on electrically powered medical equipment, particularly wards caring for patients requiring oxygen concentrators around the clock.
“This plant has been really helpful because it serves the theatre, which runs 24 hours a day since we have maternity emergencies and many other operations that require consistent power supply. Our ICU, mortuary and wards with silicosis patients are all connected,” she said.
For silicosis patients, uninterrupted electricity can determine whether they survive the night. Oxygen concentrators require constant power to function effectively, and even short interruptions can place critically ill patients in respiratory distress.
The solar system at Kwekwe General Hospital has become more than just an energy solution, it has become a lifeline for patients whose lungs can no longer function adequately on their own.
By ensuring uninterrupted electricity for oxygen therapy, intensive care units, theatres and maternity wards, the solar project is helping Zimbabwe move closer towards Universal Health Coverage, where all citizens can access quality healthcare services without suffering financial hardship.
