adminMidlands Correspondent
GOVERNOR Sibanda, 25, from Chief Siamchembo’s area in Gokwe North has been battling a rare condition that deprives him of normal growth hormones. Meeting Governor for the first time, one might be forgiven for concluding that the man is a 10-year-old who is still at primary school.
But Governor, the second child in a family of seven, should be at work fending for his parents who now have the duty of taking care of him.
The 25-year-old suffers from a rare disease, sickle cell anaemia which stifles growth because of low levels of haemoglobin, a key component in the production of blood cells in the body.
Gweru Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, said Governor’s condition is incurable and needs constant blood transfusion as his body cannot produce enough blood cells.
“It’s a rare disease which is incurable. It’s caused by low levels of haemoglobin in the body which means there is constant need for blood transfusion. The disease means that growth is retarded and such people are prone to disease such as malaria which targets blood cells,” he said.
Today, Governor is a grown-up trapped in a child’s body.
Owing to his condition, he is unable to do any household chores and needs a special diet for his survival.
He requires three pints of blood for transfusion every three months. Presently, a pint of blood costs $135 at public health institutions, way beyond his family’s means.
Governor’s parents are peasant farmers who cannot afford most of their son’s needs.
Their son’s condition has resulted in the family herd – they had 28 cattle in 1996 – being depleted to just four as they battled to take care of their child’s needs.
Governor’s persevering and caring mother, Elizabeth Chelo, has bore most of the burden of nursing her son for the quarter century of his existence.
She tells Chronicle the situation was worsened by the fact that they have five other children who need school fees since they are of school going age and have other needs.
Said Chelo: “We first noticed that our son’s growth was retarded when he was about two-years-old and since then we’ve been forced to sell our livestock for his upkeep. In the early years, he needed to be transfused a pint of blood per year but now as he is growing older he now needs three pints of blood.
“The price of blood is very high and we can no longer afford because we now have nothing left. We also have five other children who are going to school which makes our situation precarious if we do not get help.”
Chronicle caught up with Governor who was admitted at Gweru Provincial Hospital.
The young man said he needs a special diet and cannot perform household chores like most men of his age because of his condition.
“I can only eat foods such as rice, potatoes, eggs, beans and meat but can’t eat isitshwala and vegetables which I have a reaction to. I’m now feeling that I’m a curse to the family and at times I feel it’s better for me to die because the family has been left with virtually nothing,” he said.
“What pains me is that I’m supposed to be the one looking after my parents and siblings, but it’s them who are actually taking care of me.
“The situation is so dire that I was only transfused one pint because we couldn’t afford the three pints. I’m feeling weak and cold inside.”
Governor appealed for financial assistance and called on government to come to his rescue by exempting him from paying hospital bills and blood needed for transfusion.
He said despite having applied for assistance from the department of social welfare four years ago, nothing has materialised.
Online Reporter