The Minister of Health and Childcare, Douglas Mombeshora, says the prevalence of cervical cancer in Zimbabwe is worryingly high, with about 3,000 cases diagnosed each year, reported NewZimbabwe.com.

Addressing journalists and a visiting team from the World Health Organisation (WHO), from Geneva, Switzerland, Momboshera said it was worrisome that more than 70% of people diagnosed with cervical cancer succumb to the disease. He said:

Cervical cancer remains a concerning public health challenge in our country, as it has far-reaching implications for the health and well-being of our citizens, particularly for our women.

The prevalence of cervical cancer in Zimbabwe is worryingly high, with an estimated 3,000 new cases diagnosed each year, out of which an estimated 2,000 women lose their battle to this disease.

This means that more than 70% of people diagnosed with cervical cancer do not survive.

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Mombeshora said the government was committed to attaining its goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030. He said:

Today, l want to share a message of determination and hope for Zimbabwe as we proactively take the needed steps to protect our women and conquer this disease in our country.

Over the past decade, Zimbabwe has been steadfast in its commitment to cervical cancer elimination, and today we reaffirm our dedication to this cause and set our sights on the ambitious goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030.

The Minister said that since the inception in 2018 of the national vaccination programme against human papillomavirus (HPV), significant progress has been made, with over two million girls jabbed to date.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Vaccines can prevent some of the health effects the virus causes. Said Mombeshora:

That is why, guided by our national cancer prevention and control plan, we are making critical strides. Over 200 healthcare facilities across Zimbabwe now offer VIAC (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera) screenings, and 60 locations provide HPV tests. These expanded services are empowering women with the tools for early detection.

VIAC is an effective way to prevent cervical cancer in women aged between 30-50 years old. The procedure involves examining the opening of the womb, or the cervix, for changes that might lead to cancer.

The delegation from WHO Geneva, Switzerland later toured Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and Umboe Clinic in Mhangura, situated about 40km from Chinhoyi.

The WHO entourage, accompanied by the Health Minister who is also Mhangura Member of Parliament (MP) and Mashonaland West Provincial Minister Marian Chombo.

More: Pindula News

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has ordered an independent forensic audit into the operations of Cimas following allegations of financial impropriety running into millions of US dollars.

Problems at the country’s second largest health service provider after PSMAS saw an extraordinary general meeting due to be held last week being aborted at the last minute as the board sought guidance from the ministry which had expressed reservations on the proposed meeting.

Cimas Health Group has of late been in an eye of a storm after one if its executives, in a boardroom dispute, accused the firm of embarking on unviable expansion projects locally and abroad.

Other allegations raised by general manager, Dr Sacrifice Chirisa, include the awarding of contracts to friends, siphoning of money through renovation of clinics at unsustainable costs, and issuing of loans to top management totalling US$10 million.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care, which is the regulator of all medical aid societies, has since appointed Ralph and Bommet Accounting and Audit firm to carry out a forensic audit.

While the Government is insisting on a forensic audit by an independent audit firm, Cimas seems content with an audit carried out by an accounting firm it has appointed.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care Dr Aspect Maunganidze said as a regulator, they were keen to have an independent forensic audit done at Cimas to clear allegations of financial impropriety.

“We are simply saying let’s have a forensic audit done by an independent firm. We are doing this for the benefit of members,” said Dr Maunganidze.

“We have received allegations of financial malfeasance from different stakeholders and as a regulator we have to act accordingly.

“It’s only an independent forensic audit that can settle the issue.

“We are in the process of writing to them and responding to their letter on the issues we raised.”

Cimas board chairperson, Mrs Emma Fundira, declined to comment neither did she respond to inquiries sent to her.

However, the board later issued a statement saying they were content with a forensic audit they initiated.

The board said the planned extraordinary meeting was meant to respond to allegations of financial mismanagement raised by Dr Chirisa, adding that they had advised the regulator of their intended meeting.

They reckoned that earlier on in February, the ministry had directed that the board-initiated forensic audit be suspended and replaced by a ministry-led audit.

The board engaged the ministry and advised it to review its proposed directive, as the board-initiated independent forensic audit had already been concluded by the time of the Ministry’s letter.

The board further advised that in the circumstances, the ministry’s suggestion of a second forensic audit at the membership’s cost was unnecessary, reads the statement.

On April 4, the day of the general meeting, Cimas received two letters from the minister’s office advising that the meeting should not proceed.

In view of this communication, the board decided to postpone the EGM pending engagement with the ministry. As stated at the meeting, the board’s attitude is that while it had every right to proceed with the meeting, its preference was a situation whereby there is alignment with the Ministry.

Commenting on the statement by the board, former long serving Cimas board member, Mr Chester Mhende, said the medical aid society ought to comply with the directive of the Government and could not hide behind the fact that they are a private entity.

“The Government has a right to protect members and the public. They are not a private company but a society constituted by members and the Government is there to protect the public interest.

“If they do not want the involvement of the Government as a regulator, why do they approach the central bank looking for foreign currency,” said Mr Mhende.

“The guiding principle is that medical aid societies have a tax free status and this is for the public benefit through reduced costs.”

In his petition to the parent Ministry, Dr Chirisa, who has since been fired, had raised several allegations against the society which he said formed the basis of his victimisation by the group’s chief executive officer, Mr Vulindlela Ndlovu.

Some of the projects he described as unviable include renovation of the Borrowdale clinic for US$2 million despite it being a rented building, renovation of a Mashonaland Holdings building budgeted at US$3 million whose costs are now higher than what was used originally to build it, and buying of companies in neighbouring countries believed to be “shells”.

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Health Buzz

As the country celebrates its 44th Independence on Thursday, it is important to highlight the strides made in the health sector in an independent Zimbabwe particularly on surgical care.

Zimbabwe’s health sector has seen significant improvements in recent years owing to the thrust by the Second Republic of ensuring universal access to health.

One such area to record improvements is the field of surgeries. With advancements in technology and increased access to medical resources, more complex surgeries are now being performed in the country with great success.

Until recently, the healthcare system primarily focused on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, often relegating surgical needs.

This resulted in a significant shortfall in skilled surgeons, operating theatres, equipment, and infrastructure requirements for safe surgical interventions.

In 2022, the Government launched the first National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Strategy (NSOAS) 2022-2025 which sought to address challenges Zimbabwe faces in providing timely, affordable, safe and quality surgical services. The objective was to promote access to surgical services from district level, a move which has helped strengthen primary health care.

 The strategic document also sought to address infrastructure and equipment related gaps that existed in essential surgical care.

Zimbabwe was the fifth country in the SADC region and 9th in Africa to develop and launch a NSOAS. 

The NSOAS is aligned to the National Health Strategy (2021 -2025) which seeks to achieve the highest possible level of health and quality of life for all people in Zimbabwe by 2030.

With this strategy in place, the country has managed to provide Zimbabweans with an option to receive the best surgical care locally while reducing the financial burden on them.

Government also recognised the need to build a skilled workforce capable of handling surgical procedures. 

There has been an influx of surgeons over the years, who provided training, mentorship, and knowledge transfer to local medical professionals.

The University of Zimbabwe International Centre for Surgical Simulation in 2022 partnered with Karl Storz, a leading global manufacturer to supply laparoscopic equipment for the training centre at the University in Zimbabwe.

This saw the UZ commissioning laparoscopic equipment for training while hospitals such as Parirenyatwa, Mpilo, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital also received laparoscopic equipment that would enable local surgeons to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis without having to make large incisions on the body.

Laparoscopic surgeries are being performed to date at most of these public hospitals. 

The year 2023 was also a milestone year as the country resumed open heart surgeries at Parirenyatwa Hospital after a five-year break. 

A team of anesthetists, cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and nurses has been diligently providing open heart surgeries since then, ensuring that patients no longer have to travel to India, South Africa and other countries for the same procedure.

Currently, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is the only facility in both the private and public sectors in Zimbabwe that is equipped to perform open heart surgeries but the Government has indicated plans to decentralise the surgeries to other hospitals across the country.

With the scourge of cancer growing, many Zimbabweans, both young and old have struggled with the  disease at some point.

Through the provision of surgical services in public institutions, many have survived.

The case of nine-year old Wayne Mukwevere who was relieved of a 15cm wide cancerous neck mass by a team of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)specialists last year comes to mind.

The young boy’s journey to recovery began with the removal of the huge mass which had stolen his childhood for more than five years. While he undergoes chemotherapy, surgery improved his life significantly.

Not to be left out, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) also made history when it became one of the few health institutions in the country to offer hip surgeries. 

As a result of limited expertise in doing these procedures locally and the associated exorbitant costs, many Zimbabweans were travelling to India, South Africa, Malawi and Zambia, among other foreign destinations, for complex medical procedures like organ transplants, corrective orthopaedic hip replacements and knee replacements procedures.

Another milestone was recorded early this year, when three Zimbabwean cardiothoracic surgeons teamed up with a colleague from Spain and successfully carried out a first of its kind extensive uniportal video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

VATS is a minimally invasive surgical technique where incisions are made in the chest through one of which a thoracoscope, which is a long thin tube with a camera and light at the end, is inserted, allowing the surgeon to view the thoracic cavity inside the chest on a video screen.

Most recently, a team at Parirenyatwa carried out another precocious surgery on 64-year-old Mr Laston Kwinika from Beitbridge, who had lived with a huge growth in his mouth for 17 long years.

Although he lost the better part of his lower jaw, Mr Kwinika’s life is set for a positive change since the doctors have restored most of his oral functionalities that had been lost in those years. The quality of his life will greatly improve.

These are just a few of the life changing surgeries performed in the country in the recent past. Many more remain undocumented.

In addition to the expertise of the medical professionals, the availability of modern medical equipment and facilities has also played a crucial role in the success of surgeries in Zimbabwe. Hospitals and clinics in the country are being equipped with state-of-the-art technology, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and better outcomes for patients undergoing surgery. This has not only improved the quality of care provided to patients but has also increased the success rates of surgeries performed in the country.

Furthermore, the Government’s commitment to improving the health sector in Zimbabwe has also had a positive impact on surgeries. Investments in healthcare infrastructure has helped to create a conducive environment for the practice of surgery in the country. 

This has not only benefited patients in need of surgical interventions but has also boosted the confidence of medical professionals in their ability to provide high-quality care.

Overall, the success of surgeries in Zimbabwe can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the expertise of medical professionals, the availability of modern medical equipment, and the Government’s commitment to improving the health sector.

With continued investments in healthcare infrastructure and the training of medical professionals, the country is well-positioned to further improve the quality of care provided to patients undergoing surgery.

As more complex surgeries are successfully performed in the country, the quality of life for many Zimbabweans is bound to improve and the Government will surely achieve its vision of leaving no place and no one behind in the provision of quality health care.

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