Chronicle Editor
Michelle Moyo, [email protected]
WHILE many mothers are enjoying the joys of motherhood through nurturing of their children, it is different for Ms Nobukhosi Sibanda (36) who has to endure the pain of failing to take care of the medical needs of her 22 month old son.
Ms Sibanda’s toddler, Taboka Munenge, has been diagnosed with chronic diarrhoea caused by a yeast in his stomach and this makes him wear more than 10 diapers a day.
His mother Ms Sibanda from Phaphama Village in Filabusi, Matabeleland South said she travelled to Bulawayo to find help at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and has been in the city for a week. The unemployed Ms Sibanda is living with her cousin in Emakhandeni Suburb.
A teary Ms Sibanda visited the Chronicle newsroom to talk about her plight and she said her wish was for her beloved son, Taboka, to live a “normal life.”
“My only wish is for my son to be healed and this can only be done through an Xray in South Africa and then we can live a normal life. My pregnancy was normal and everything seemed fine until it started showing up when he turned 8 months,” she said.
“I came all the way from Phaphama ,Filabusi seeking for my son’s medical attention at United Bulawayo hospital but he was not responding to the medication and the doctors have done everything in their powers but nothing has worked for the child to get help”.
Ms Sibanda said she was referred to South African hospitals that have X-Rays with the required expertise are demanding between R5 000 to R10 000 for the corrective x-rays which the family cannot afford.
The family therefore, has to raise between R15 000 and R20 000 to cover accommodation, food stuff and other expenses.
She added that the child needs to go to the gastroenterologist in South Africa for check ups so that he can be well again, the major challenge is that the child only eats noodles and bananas which they can’t afford because they are not employed and have many responsibilities to take care of.
The operation was supposed to be done before Taboka turned one. Every time Taboka’s stomach starts running, Ms Sibanda watches him constantly, fearing complications, as he grows or discomfort worries.
She said they had different lung tests and the results showed that Taboka has a yeast.
“I’ve been assisted by different councilors in the ward 19 in Insiza North Filabusi who has been assisting the child through funding for tests and medication, I am appealing for help so that my son can have a normal life like his peers, that’s all we pray and wish for every day of our lives.
Ms Sibanda revealed that the child does not have a birth certificate,Calisto Munenge the father of the child is aware of the sickness but he ran away when the child was 8 months saying he’s going to look for a job to assist the child and he’s from Binga district.
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