adminSharon Kavhu Correspondent
Elisha Chuma (32) from Kasavaga village under Chief Chireya in Gokwe has been suffering from undetected Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) since 2010. From that time, all the four rural district health facilities surrounding him were not fully equipped to detect his condition. He was put on a six
months course for TB on three separate occasions yet his condition never changed.
Then in 2013, he was diagnosed with MDR-TB.
It is hard for him to go and receive his treatment in the rainy season. When rains fall, all hell breaks loose.
Roads become muddy and impassible.
The nearest Hungwe River “swells” and “roars” and trying to cross especially when not feeling well is like dicing with death.
“Here in Kasavaga where I stay, Sanyati District Hospital is the closest health facility that has advanced medical equipment. However, the major challenge is accessibility to the health facility when it rains.
“During this season, the river Hungwe which cuts across the majority of the districts is full for four to five days depriving us from moving to the other side.
“When it is full people like me who are on specific treatment default.
“My fellow villagers who are on Anti-Retroviral programs are also defaulting treatment because they access their drugs at Sanyati hospital which is separated from us by Hungwe River,” said Mr Chuma.
The rainy season is negatively affecting the health system of the area.
People from Kasavaga normally go to Sanyati district hospital for it is the closest referral health facility in their area.
Unlike in the urban set ups where people can walk or use the kombi’s which cost R5 or US$1 for a single trip to health care facilities, hundreds of people from Gokwe North are struggling to access health care services as they are no appropriate roads for vehicles.
To them, it is a norm that when one falls seriously ill, he or she will be carried in an ox drawn cart to the nearest health facilities.
Yet, there are some villagers who have no carts to ferry the sick. It is harder for such people.
They are left with no option but to walk long distances or seek services from those who own ox drawn carts.
No one has been spared, the rains also bring misery to local leadership.
Some like Sub chief Edward Kabarapiti of Kafurambanje Village in Gokwe have come face to face with the misery.
“Last week, I painfully watched my bedridden niece Tanaka suffering for three days. We were hapless knowing that we could nothing do to help her. The health care service providers were out of our reach.
“She lost weight in no time and at one point I thought her life had come to an end while other villagers suspected that she was suffering from malaria since she had a fever,” Sub Chief Kabarapiti said.
The 52-year-old man who has been a Sub-Chief in the village for a decade slowly narrated his niece’s ordeal, which was worsened by the rains in Gokwe.
“No one had any medical knowledge to help better Tanaka’s condition.
“We could not ferry him to the closest clinic Mutora because the river Hungwe was so full that water was flowing covering the main bridge as well as the other small routes.”
For two consecutive days, rains had fallen and the roads extremely muddy.
However, his niece was only taken to the clinic on the fourth day when the water levels in Hungwe had decreased.
“On the fourth day, we prepared our cart and cattle to ferry Tanaka to the clinic for treatment.
“Although we managed to go to the clinic, the journey was quite rough as our cart was trapped in the muddy road. Tanaka was diagnosed with malaria,” he added.
There are several other cases were Kafurambanje villagers fail to access treatment or medicines.
“It is tougher to see my people suffering at home when they fail to access health care services and yet the health facilities are available.
“Of course we appreciate the rains during this farming season but, our people are being inconvenienced of their right to access health services by rivers.
“Some of my people may become desperate to the extent that they put their lives at risk, crossing Hungwe during its angry period. Water levels in the river will be reaching an adult chest level and very dangerous,” added Kabarapiti.
Hungwe River can be full for three to four days while other small rivers such as Sasami may only be full for two days at most.
Gokwe North district also has a few health centers, shortage of nurses and even space.
Gokwe District Medical Director Dr Mthokozisi Moyo confirmed the challenges of inaccessibility to clinics and hospitals during this rainy season.
“We only have 22 health facilities covering a total of at least 250 000 people. The roads and communication system in the area are very poor,” said Dr Moyo.
He said the district has no advanced equipment such as radiological services and x-rays that assists in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.
Online Reporter