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With morgues full, Zimbabweans struggle with surge in Covid burials

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BY NYASHA CHINGONO

HARARE – A group of women sing hymns at the cemetery in Harare as undertakers, dressed in Covid-19 protective gear, gently lower a white casket into the grave.

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“This world is not our home,” they sing, as relatives, standing a few metres away, mourn their loss.

The deceased is a 31-year-old man, who died from coronavirus. He arrived at the hospital too late to be helped.

As this group of mourners leave, another hearse pulls up at Warren Hills cemetery to bury another Covid-19 victim.

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About half a dozen burials will be conducted in quick succession over the day in an effort to keep up with the grim task of burying Zimbabwe’s dead, as the third wave of the virus continues to claim hundreds of lives every week.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, almost half of the country’s total Covid deaths up to that point occurred in July.

Over the course of the month, 58,996 infections were recorded, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic, and more than 1,700 people died.

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To date, a total of 3,826 deaths have been recorded by the World Health Organization since March last year.

The huge increase has overwhelmed undertakers, resulting in delayed burials, authorities have admitted.

Outside one of Zimbabwe’s biggest undertakers in central Harare, dozens of bereaved people wait impatiently to be seen.

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Some have waited for three days, as the company struggles to cope.

Philip Mataranyika, the owner of Nyaradzo Funeral Services, said: “Because there have been many deaths, the end-of-life industry has been under immense pressure, resulting in delays all round.

“Burial of our beloved ones has been delayed by a day or two.”

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With bodies piling up in morgues, Mataranyika pleaded with Zimbabweans to observe Covid protocols.

“Our hospitals are full of the sick, and our morgues are full of the dead,” he said.

“ Our colleagues on the frontline in the health sector are doing all they can to save lives.

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“At times their efforts are not rewarded, resulting in the loss of life, and this has happened on occasions too numerous to mention. Each time this has happened, morgues have borne the brunt,” he says.

“I implore you, fellow countrymen, to observe the World Health Organixation guidelines and those issued by our government so we can be safe and avoid infection.”

An undertaker who works at the Nyaradzo funeral home, but did not want to be identified, said he was preparing 30 bodies for burial each day.

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“I identify about 30 bodies a day and most of them are Covid-related,” he said.

“ July was really busy; I sometimes knocked off around midnight.

“This has taken a huge toll on my body too as I am always tired. The third wave has killed a lot of people.

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“Delays have been happening due to strained resources; we cannot execute all burials at once.

“We are now doing a booking system and if we reach a certain number, like 30, we defer the burial to the following day.”

Dozens of graves are being dug every day as demand for spaces has more than tripled over the past two months.

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Jairos Mutseyami (37), a gravedigger at Warren Hills cemetery, said: “I am always exhausted after work.

“It is also tough to work under such conditions – I am in constant fear of getting Covid. Only God keeps us here.”

Beven Mudepu (35), who sells wreaths from a stall outside Nyaradzo undertakers, says mourners were buying up to 30 wreaths a day last month.

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“We see hundreds coming to the parlour daily and some unlucky ones can wait up to three days to get their relatives’ bodies,” Mudepu said.

“ They say there is no capacity to deal with the surge in deaths.”

Norman Matara, president of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, said frontline workers were hopeful that Covid-19 deaths will decline with the end of the southern hemisphere winter.

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“It seems we are now on the peak of the third wave, although the cases are still high,” he said.

“We expect the death rate to go down soon. But people are dying – we are seeing about 60 to 70 deaths a day, even up to 90, and that is a lot of lives lost.”

Matara warned the public against complacency.

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People with severe symptoms should report to hospital sooner, he said, as delays have been a major cause of fatalities.

“People are using unconventional means to cure Covid and when they see that it is not working, they come to the hospitals. [By then] it would be too late to deal with such cases,” he said.

Zimbabwe is pinning its hopes on its largely successful vaccination programme.

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More than than million people have so far received at least a single dose.

Late last month, the country authorised the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the first vaccine made in the west to be approved in Zimbabwe, which already has Chinese vaccines, the Indian-developed Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V. – The Guardian 

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In the community

Crocodile attacks claim 9 lives, injure 11

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A surge in crocodile attacks has left a trail of death and destruction in Zimbabwe, with 9 fatalities and 11 injuries reported in the last two months.

According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 49 human-crocodile conflict cases were recorded during the same period, resulting in the loss of 44 cattle and 60 goats.

The Mid-Zambezi region, which includes Lake Kariba, Angwa River, and Hunyani River, was the hardest hit, with 19 cases reported. The Central region recorded 14 cases, while 16 cases were reported in other areas, including Matopo, Harare, North-West Matabeleland, and South-East Low-veld.

ZimParks has urged communities to exercise extreme caution, especially around water bodies, during the current rain season. The authority has advised communities to ensure that livestock and children are not left unattended near rivers or lakes, and to take precautions when engaging in water activities such as fishing, swimming, and domestic chores.

To mitigate the situation, ZimParks is working closely with local authorities and conservation partners to raise public awareness and promote safety practices. The authority has emphasized its commitment to finding a balance between ensuring public safety and conserving wildlife.

As the situation continues to unfold, ZimParks has appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any crocodile sightings or attacks to the authorities.

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Nkayi man sentenced to 20 years for murdering patron

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BY STAFF REPORTER

In a High Court circuit sitting in Hwange, a 23-year-old man from Gwelutshena was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.

Mtabisi Ndimande was convicted of killing a 39-year-old man in a brutal axe attack that occurred on August 5, 2024, at DZ Sports Bar in Inyathi.

The court heard that Ndimande had been drinking beer with the deceased when an argument ensued.

Despite intervention from a security guard, Ndimande pulled out an axe and struck the deceased on the head.

The blow caused the deceased to collapse, while the axe remained embedded in his head. The offender then removed the axe and walked away.

The deceased bled profusely and was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 6, 2024.

The police responded to the scene and recovered the axe.

 

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Hwange

Drugs causing mayhem in Victoria Falls

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The scourge of drugs and substance abuse is tearing families apart in the city of Victoria Falls as young people resort to dangerous substances to cope with mounting economic problems.

Victoria Falls, like most urban areas in Zimbabwe, is battling against a surge in cases of drugs and substance abuse, which has seen the government launching various programmes to curb the crisis.

Eslina Sibanda, a Mkhosana resident whose son was forced to drop out of college due to drug addiction, narrated her heart-rending ordeal in an interview with NewsHub.

“He was a bright student, but then he started experimenting with mbanje and other substances,” Sibanda said.

“Before we knew it, he was hooked. We tried to get him help, but it was too late.

“He dropped out of college and he now struggles to find a job.”

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, approximately 750 000 people in Zimbabwe use cannabis, while 150 000 use other illicit drugs.

The same report noted that 14.6 percent of males and 5.6 percent of females aged between 15 and 65 years engage in hazardous or harmful drinking.

In a dramatic event that gripped Victoria Falls last November, 82 year-old Paul Siangapi was forced to take his son, Wonder, to court after he attempted to stab a family member in a drug-fuelled rage.

Siangapi pleaded with the magistrate to send his 40year-old son to jail for years, saying after the death of his mother, almost a decade ago, he started smoking cannabis (mbanje) and abusing alcohol.

He said Wonder became abusive even to his grandchildren as a result of drug abuse.

The magistrate subsequently ruled that he must be referred to the Mlondolozi Mental Health Prison in Bulawayo where he is being treated for his addiction together with seven others from Victoria Falls who were facing charges of committing offences under the influence of drugs.

Siangapi told News Hub from his Chinotimba home that his life had become hell on earth because of his son’s drugs problem.

“He is ok there (in prison),” Siangapi said. “I was always running away from him. He would lock the gate, deprive me of food and, at times, l would sleep in the car outside the gate because of him.”

On 18 February, Information minister, Jenfan Muswere, said the police had arrested 9, 527  people and dismantled 79 illegal drug bases as part of a countrywide crackdown on drug and substance abuse between 1 September 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Muswere told a post-Cabinet briefing that 616 drug suppliers and 8 911 drug users had been arrested during the operation.

The government has also established three new rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in Victoria Falls, Harare and Kwekwe.

The ministry of Health and Child Care notes that substance abuse is a major contributor to mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

Mental health experts say a combination of factors that include poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and healthcare drive young people into drugs and substance abuse.

“Young people are turning to substances as a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty of their lives,” said Silvester Nyoni, a local psychologist. “We need to address the root causes of this crisis, rather than just treating the symptoms.”

Rufaro Nyakwende, a social worker at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, said the impact of substance abuse was far-reaching as affected not only individuals, but also families, communities, and the economy.

“Substance abuse is leading to tracking substance use,” Nyakwende said.

“At the end of the day, people have mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and this leads to interest in another driver of tracking substance use, which is peer pressure. A lot of children experience peer pressure through interactions, observation, learning, and playing.

“People may admire the effects of someone using drugs and end up using those drugs themselves. This is another driver of tracking substance use. When they continue using drugs, it also leads to mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and this is what leads to a high risk of suicide,” added Nyakwende.

She said the community also exerts too much pressure on young people.

“There’s also the issue of social pressures. The community expects certain things from people,” Nyakwende added.

“For instance, by a certain age, you’re expected to have achieved certain milestones, such as having a proper job and a family.

“But when you fail to meet these expectations, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, which can contribute to higher rates of suicide.”

The government launched the National Substance Abuse Policy in 2020 as one of the ways to deal with the scourge.

For Nyoni, however, more needs to be done to provide support and resources for those struggling with addiction.

“We need to increase funding for treatment centres, counselling services, and support groups,” he said.

“We also need to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and provide education and job training programs for young people.”

SOURCE: NEWS HUB

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