The Sunday Mail
Tendai Rupapa in MARAMBA-PFUNGWE
VILLAGERS in Maramba-Pfungwe, mainly women, yesterday came out in droves for free health checks, courtesy of health ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who took her mobile clinic and medical experts to the area, as she upped the tempo in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
People benefited from cervical, breast and prostate cancer screening, Covid-19 testing and vaccination, HIV testing and counselling, and blood pressure checks, among other health services.
The nearest hospital for people in Maramba-Pfungwe is at Mutawatawa, forcing the community to travel long distances to access treatment.
As the health ambassador, the mother of the nation frequently reaches out to marginalised and remote communities to ensure they have access to healthcare.
She urged people to be checked for various ailments regularly.
Amai Mnangagwa – who is staying with the people of Maramba-Pfungwe, conducting various programmes and projects for them – also held an interactive session with members of the community denouncing drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, early marriages and domestic violence, among many other issues affecting communities.
Part of the crowd that gathered for free health checks such as cervical, breast and prostate cancer screening, Covid 19 testing and vaccination, HIV testing and counselling and blood pressure courtesy of Health Ambassador Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa who brought mobile clinic and medical expert to the area yesterday. – Pictures: John Manzongo
NCDs such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes are the leading cause of deaths worldwide and represent an emerging global health threat.
Dr Mnangagwa, who has a passion to promote healthy living among citizens, also held the popular Amai’s Traditional Meal Cookout competition, where various medicinal, nutritious and mouth-watering dishes were prepared, reinforcing the need for people to eat healthy and avoid exotic dishes that lead to hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular challenges.
In her address, Dr Mnangagwa said it was essential for people to have regular health checks to diagnose ailments early.
“Health is critical. Women, men and children, do you know where you stand, health-wise? Do you know your status? Covid-19 is still wreaking havoc, therefore, it is my plea that you be vaccinated and get the booster shot to prevent this virus. Life is precious and let us preserve it.
“I have brought my Angel of Hope Foundation’s mobile clinic so that you be examined free of charge. I want you to return home knowing where you stand and preserving good health. Let us go for cancer screening. I asked an elderly lady in a queue for cancer screening and she said she was glad to be screened for cancer, saying it was her first time to undergo the process. When diagnosed with an ailment, it allows you to commence treatment early. I will continue visiting all parts of the country, discussing issues to do with cancer. I enjoy visiting rural communities so that the elderly can get information and assistance like everyone else,” she said to applause.
The First Lady spoke on drug abuse, which is now prevalent across urban and rural communities, destroying the future of young people.
She raised the case of eight Dominican Convent girls who were recently expelled from the elite school, saying such behaviour did not bode well for the country.
“We are troubled by drugs in the country. Where is this coming from as it is destroying the future of our children? I am pained that drugs are also prevalent here in rural areas. Where is this coming from because as your mothers we are worried a lot? Where is this really coming from?” she asked.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa interacts with women who were queueing at her mobile clinic to be screened for cervical and breast cancer and other diseases in Maramba Pfungwe yesterday.
The question elicited a lot of responses, with various respondents expressing their concern.
“Amai, thank you for coming to tackle this issue. We are troubled by drug abuse cases among our children. If you see a child intoxicated and scolding his mother, you feel so embarrassed. They do not want to work in the fields; all they think of is spending time abusing drugs. They will be fancying themselves as the heads of households,” complained Gogo Esteri Chabvuka.
The First Lady agreed.
“True, we are troubled by children who are stealing clothes and property from homes to sell and get money for drugs. As a mother, it pained when I heard of girls from Dominicant Convent who were expelled for taking drugs. Drugs are killing our children. We say no to drugs,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa had an interactive session with the elderly, whom she asked to narrate how they grew up and the norms and values they followed for the benefit of the younger generation. The elderly decried how children were dressing and rushing into love relationships and marriages.
They said today’s girls wear tight-fitting apparel, while the boys wear multiple trousers at the same time.
During the interactive session, a youthful girl, who was wearing tight-fitting jeans, said that was trendy and she did not like long dresses. But the First Lady spelt out the need for decent dressing.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over a prize to one of the winners at Amai’s traditional meal cook out competition while Minister of State and Devolution for Mashonaland East Aplonia Munzverengwi and member of parliament of Maramba Pfungwe Cde Tichaona Karimazondo look on yesterday.
Another elderly lady blamed those parents who were buying inappropriate clothes for their children.
“Let there be rules and regulations in homes so that our children grow respectably. Let’s follow good morals as Zimbabweans,” the First Lady said.
She bemoaned teenage pregnancies and urged schoolchildren to treasure their studies.
The First Lady warned men against preying on young girls.
Dr Galdman Mubonani, the district medical officer for Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe (UMP), expressed gratitude to the First Lady for supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“People are appreciative of the services that have been rolled out for their benefit. I want to thank the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for always supporting us as the Ministry of Health and Child Care. We are grateful for the programme that has been brought to the people of UMP, where we are meeting people living in hard-to-reach areas who cannot visit clinics regularly for checks but have come to access services that we are offering courtesy of our health ambassador, the First Lady. She has come with her programme to assist us in terms of cervical, breast and prostate cancer screening. We have enhanced Covid-19 testing and vaccination and screening for other chronic diseases. Alone, we would not manage, but her support through her Angel of Hope Foundation, which brought health experts, is unmatched. Her programme will lessen the challenges of chronic diseases which are treatable when diagnosed early,” he said.
Dr Mubonani said the mobile clinic had made it possible for people in hard-to-reach areas to be checked.
“Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe is a very big district. Our hospital is in Mutawatwa and there are people who will be coming from Pfungwe high up there, some from Uzumba and the Mazowe borderline. The area is inaccessible because of the terrain and because of other engagements, but these mobile clinics help reach hard-to-reach populations; those that will never take the initiative to visit a clinic. Dr Mnangagwa is taking hospitals to the people through her mobile clinic.
“This place is far from Harare, but she has taken her time to come and assist the people here, including helping us do awareness campaigns,” he said.
“Yesterday, she spoke to the people in Maramba, where she explained health issues and everything that should be known about health. We are happy that during this period, our people will receive awareness on the need to get treatment early. Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women, contributing a quarter to a third of cancer cases recorded among women. Through the screening being done here, we are able to screen our patients and help those that need immediate help. Those seen to have cancer in its infancy are referred to obstetricians and gynaecologists for immediate help. We are happy for the assistance we are getting. As Maramba-Pfungwe, we feel honoured to be with her for many days as she helps us,” he said.
Mrs Evermore Karimbika (50) thanked the First Lady for her programme.
“I am grateful that she has brought experts to examine us and diagnose us for free. This was my first time to be screened. We had never experienced such love from a First Lady since Independence. We have learnt that these conditions are mainly treatable when they are detected early,” she said.
Mrs Kudzanai Kapfudza said she was encountering a lot of health challenges and the First Lady had lightened her burden.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa looks at some of the traditional dishes which were prepared by women during Amai’s traditional meal cook out competition in Maramba Pfungwe yesterday.
“Women are encountering many health challenges, including cervical cancer, pain in breasts and many others. We also have challenges with hypertension, which makes it difficult for us to perform some household tasks. After these health checks, we are now aware of that which is afflicting us. Sometimes we will not be aware that we are living with cancer, but Amai’s visit has enabled us to know where we stand. Women were dying without visiting hospitals because of the long distances involved and lack of money. We are happy that this is not a one-day service, but Amai and her mobile clinic are with us in Maramba-Pfungwe for many days. It is amazing that this is her third day staying with us here.”
In the traditional cookout competition, Mrs Tracy Marau came out tops, followed by runner-up Mrs Lillian Chakauya and Mrs Anna Goto in third place.
The trio scooped top prizes offered by the First Lady.
All 20 participants of the competition also received food hampers from Amai Mnangagwa.
One of the winners said: “Today we showed Amai that her programmes are not in vain. Amai is saying let us promote our traditional dishes so that our families survive free of diseases. By coming up with this traditional cook-out programme, the First Lady did wonders for us as a nation. We had lost our tradition and forgotten that traditional dishes must always be prepared the way they were prepared by our grandmothers. Amai asked us to go back to tradition and eat healthy foods because diseases had crept up in homes.”
Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Aplonia Munzverengwi thanked the First Lady for staying with the people of UMP for many days and the teachings she gave.
“Her teachings are essential and people have fully embraced them because she is setting a very good example for the nation. The First Lady is the country’s health ambassador and has been at the forefront of promoting early detection of non-communicable diseases to ensure prompt commencement of treatment to save lives. We want to thank her for that,” she said.
Member of Parliament for Maramba-Pfungwe constituency (ZANU PF) Cde Tichaona Karimazondo said Amai’s good works were there for everyone to see.
“Surely, one does not need special eyes to see that our mother, the mother of the nation, has the people at heart. Spending many days living here with the people means a lot for the people of Maramba-Pfungwe. She left her home to be with us in this remote area for close to a week. We are forever grateful to our First Lady. Hundreds of people including men, women and youths visited the Angel of Hope Foundation’s mobile clinic and other health spots, which were set up for them to access free health services. This will forever remain in our minds. Amai’s love is unmatched,” he said.
