Sundaymail Editor
Emmanuel Kafe
SHE is Zimbabwe’s version of Florence Nightingale.
After taking a vow to be a nurse, Mrs Lucia Godzongere spent 46 years on the frontline — catering for those in need of treatment.
The 65-year-old recently retired after a remarkable career that saw her rise to the post of principal nursing officer at Sally Mugabe Hospital, the second largest referral centre in the country.
She hung her scrubs on January 15 this year.
Last week, she shared her experiences with The Sunday Mail, describing how she stared devastating pandemics like HIV and Aids, Covid-19 and cholera in the face during her years of service.
“I began nurse training on January 6, 1976 at Sally Mugabe Hospital (then known as Harare Hospital). I got into nursing to be able to serve humanity. During my teenage years, there were not many options of getting employment outside teaching or nursing. I chose to do nursing and throughout all the years, I was comforted and inspired by the pledge to serve humanity and to practise my profession with conscience and dignity,” the mother of six said.
Her job gave her mixed experiences of pain and satisfaction.
While her infectious laugh and robust presence brought a sense of hope to patients, her hardest moments came when she had to notify relatives that their loved ones had died.
“Telling someone who would have put all their faith in you that their relative has passed away should be the hardest thing any nurse or doctor can experience.
“But for my mental health, I would talk things through with colleagues until it became normal to accept that such things happen and messages needed to be conveyed, albeit in a professional manner,” she said.
She vividly remembers the 2011 petrol tanker explosion in Sunningdale, Harare, that killed several people and left many with horrendous injuries.
The explosion claimed mostly Sunningdale residents and passers-by scrambling for free petrol.
“That was a really bad experience; I have never seen people burnt like that, but we had to treat them,” she said.
Her relief from such horrors, however, came during her stint at the maternity ward.
“It’s such a joy to help a woman give birth, and holding healthy babies and seeing them giving their first cry was such a fulfilling joy to me. My time at the maternity ward was the best,” she said.
Mrs Godzongore, who commenced nurse training in 1976, graduated in 1979. She worked her way up to become a sister-in-charge of the medical ward at Sally Mugabe Hospital in 1990. In 1997, she became a matron in charge of the maternity ward at the same hospital.
She rose through the ranks to become a night superintendent for the maternity ward from 2002 to 2004.
Her good work ethic saw her being promoted in 2009 to the position of principal nursing officer, which she held until her retirement.
She acquired several other qualifications in addition to her nursing diploma. They include a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing, majoring in Maternal and Child Health.
She also did certificate courses in Midwifery, Nursing Administration and Reproductive Health.
Her advice to young and aspiring nurses is to abide by the Hippocratic Oath, a pledge by health workers that they will serve humanity and execute their duties with conscience and dignity.
The nurse is married to Maguire Godzongere, her husband of more than 40 years. Mr Godzongere was a popular radio personality on Radio 2. They are now both retired.
Twitter: @emmanuel_kafe
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