Tendai Gukutikwa
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
VILLAGE health workers in Marange’s Mafararikwa area are facing a tough battle in their mission to encourage health-seeking behaviour among members of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church, a deeply conservative religious group known for shunning modern medicine.
The Mafararikwa area has long been associated with the Johane Marange Church, whose members typically rely on prayer and holy water to treat illnesses.
For many years, the church has discouraged visits to clinics or hospitals, a stance that has led to serious health complications, particularly for children.
In an interview last week, village health worker for Ward 16 in Mafararikwa, Ms Vimbiso Zvavanhu, said while the challenges are immense, there are signs of change as some members quietly seek help.
“The health-seeking behaviour here is really something else. During last month alone, I attended to 85 toddlers, and five of them were in the yellow section of malnutrition, while three were in the red section. The mothers of these children also appeared unwell. I referred them to the clinic, but only two went there. The rest refused because of their church beliefs,” said Ms Zvavanhu.
The green, yellow and red sections of malnutrition refer to the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) colour-coded measurement system used by health workers to assess the nutritional status of children between six months and five-years-old.
The Green Zone means that a child is considered well-nourished, while the yellow zone means that the child is moderately malnourished.
“This is often referred to as moderate acute malnutrition. Children in this zone need nutritional support and close monitoring. Children in the red zone are severely malnourished and suffer from severe acute malnutrition. This is life-threatening and requires urgent medical intervention, often at a clinic or hospital, but their mothers do not care. They claimed that their faith will heal the children,” said Ms Zvavanhu.
She said she had to work hard to convince some mothers to allow her to assess their children.
“Most of them are from the apostolic church. Initially, they refused to allow me access to their children, but I schooled them, and explained that this is about the health of their children. We want healthy children regardless of their religion. Some were moved by that and allowed me to assist, though they still would not go to the clinic,” she said.
Ms Zvavanhu said she continued with home visits for the children whose parents refused referrals, but the resistance remained strong.
“For the eight children I followed up on at home, parents to six of them still insisted that they would not defy their church doctrine by going to the clinic. However, as VHWs, we are going around teaching these women about the four-star diet, incorporating carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to help keep the children healthy,” she said.
Despite the church’s strict beliefs, some women are quietly breaking ranks, risking backlash from their religious leaders to save their children.
Ms Zvavanhu said there is noticeable change, especially among young mothers, and those who have witnessed children in their communities suffering or dying due to preventable illnesses.
“We are slowly seeing a shift. It is not easy, but some of them are now listening. We are engaging community leaders too, trying to find a common ground. We are not here to fight their religion, but to help save lives,” she said.
One such woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the villager health workers are their saviours.
“These health workers are helping us. When our children are sick, some of us go to them secretly because we cannot let our children die. We use our garden visits to consult village health workers. I have taken my child to Ms Zvavanhu before. She checked his temperature and gave me advice. If it gets worse, I am ready to go to the clinic, even if it means lying to my husband about it,” she said.
She added that other women in similar positions have formed discreet support networks, helping each other access health services under the radar.
“There are others like me. We encourage each other. We cannot all be quiet while our children suffer. We still go to church, but we also take care of our families the best way we can,” she said.
But not everyone in the community agrees with such actions.
A staunch devotee of the church, Ms Robina Matara (31) who is a mother of six, said she would never take her children to a clinic, no matter what circumstances.
“I have six children. All of them were born without the assistance of doctors. They have never been to a clinic. They are alive today because I have faith in the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer.
‘‘Those who defy the church and go to hospitals are the ones whose children die. If you trust in God, your children will survive,” she said.
She dismissed efforts by health workers as unnecessary interference.
She, however, said they follow the village health workers’ four-star diet advise.
“We give to our children a four-star diet because we have been taught that it is what keeps them healthy. We are strong. We do not need medicines. We have our holy water and our prayers,” she said.
Online Reporter