 |
| Lindiwe Munatsi |
…saved by
anti-biotics, zumbani and mufandichimuka
Brighton Chiseva
GUTU – A Dewure High
School teacher who tested positive for Covid-19 and spent over a week taking
antibiotics and drinking traditional herbs, says she was glad to have made it
through one of her toughest period in life.
Lindiwe Munatsi,
a 34-year-old mother of one, told TellZim that the virus is indeed very
dangerous but added that it was possible to defeat it in one followed the right
treatment regimes.
Munatsi said she
visited a local hospital after falling ill and showing all the symptoms associated
with Covid-19 but the hospital said had no testing kits.
She then
travelled to Masvingo city where she got tested at a clinic owned by the
Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS), and the specimen came back
positive.
“I had signs of
Covid-19 including severe coughing and chest pains. I had difficulties breathing
and at some moments I would fail to breathe. When my sample tested positive, I
was shuttered but not really surprised as I had believed that I was positive
due to the symptoms. It was one of the hardest moments of my life,” said
Munatsi.
After testing
positive, she travelled back to Gutu and notified the hospital which had
hitherto failed to test her on the basis that they did not have kits.
Surprisingly,
the health centre this time around sprung to action and they suddenly found
test kits for contacts tracing and testing covering 10 identified people.
“All my 10 known
contacts tested positive and it gave me some kind of relief. I was, however,
surprised that a hospital which had turned me away saying they did not have
test kits could suddenly have those kits in a matter of hours,” said Munatsi.
The health
centre then ordered her into 14 days of self-isolation, advising her that she
would be considered fully recovered if she completed that tenure without
complications.
She said when
people learnt about her new condition, some were supportive while others were a
bit more worried about their own safety.
“I was
stigmatised by some people who are closer to me but some of my workmates and
friends were really supportive and they helped to keep me strong and positive
about life,” she said.
Munatsi said the
worst part of her ordeal was to be separated from her two-year-old baby boy as
it affected both of them to a similar degree.
“He now asks for
sanitizer regularly because when I fell ill, I had to sanitise after every few
minutes but at first it was hard for both of us,” said Munatsi.
She said the
symptoms were most severe for the first four days after she tested positive and
she took some antibiotics which she complemented with a concoction of
traditions herbs comprising zimbani and muringa and mufandichimuka.
“When I tested
positive I started taking Zumbani, muringa and mumufandichimuka. I would steam myself
hot twice a day; once in the morning and again it the evening. I took anti-biotics
again but I think the traditional medicine was most useful. After four days the
symptoms started to disappear and I am now very fine,” said Munatsi
She suspects
that she contracted the virus during one of her frequent visits to Harare,
which is regarded as the epicentre of the virus.
She admitted
that she was not very careful with her herself during her visits to Harare,
saying she did not practice strict social distancing and hand sanitizing.
“I think I got it in Harare. But there are
chances that I got it locally since we are witnessing a surge of new cases in
the province. I think we are slowly and dangerously dismissing the presence of
the virus amongst us. The virus is there and let us take care,” Munatsi said
