Home Blog Page 567

Orientation for new staff members

TellZimNews
-
0
Orientation for new staff members

with Cabnson Magaya


The above signs are usually erected at the school entrance. These are the signs that a new member of staff reads as he / she first enters into your institution.
As the head of an educational institution, you will always find yourself receiving new staff members into your school. This applies to both teaching and non-teaching staff. These new staff members will have been interviewed, recruited and deployed by your employer, that is, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Education or the Responsible Authorities in the case of non-teaching members of staff.
The new staff would have had very little chances, during the interview, to find out more about the organisation and the job that he/ she will be expected to do. When he/she arrives at the station, the new member of staff will have a small idea (basing from his /her training) of what the job involves and how he/she is expected to tackle it.
The new staff member will not be aware of the new knowledge and skills that he will have to develop. The new member of staff will not be aware of the results that are expected from him/her by the institution he/she will not be aware of the problems that he will come across and how he will be expected to solve them. The member will not be aware of the people to turn to for any help he may require. The member will also be wondering about his/her colleagues` attitude towards strangers. The new member will have very little or no knowledge about the geography of the area. He/she does not know what happens here or there, who does what and why that happens here or there, who does what and why and when. The new staff member has to find out more about the school’s rules and regulations. The new member will also be unaware of the traditions in the area (this is very important issue in rural areas). The member will also be ignorant of the politics and pressures in the area. The new member will not be aware of the sort of behavior that the community expects from him / her. This is the new member who comes into your office for the first time and hands an introductory letter form the employer. He/she will be in a new and strange environment.
New members of the staff will need some thorough and well-planned orientation so as to make them competent and confident members of your team.

Do not underestimate the importance of orientation
Heads often underestimate how much a new member of staff has got to learn. The new member will have a heavy learning load during the first few weeks and months at the station. The following suggestions will attempt to highlight the important issues that the new staff member should be made aware of. The head may assign his/ her deputy or a very senior member of staff to help the new recruit.
The most important aspects that the new member of staff should know about involve the job that he/she is expected to perform. The new member should be made aware of the Vision and Mission of the institution. He/ she should be able to answer this pertinent question.

The member should be made aware of the strategic objectives of the organization and what he/she is supposed to do in order to achieve these objectives. He/ she should be made aware of the core values of the institution. Once this is done, the new member will have been shown the way. Proverbs 29:18 states, “where there is no vision, people cast of restraints.” This clearly means that if the new member is not aware of the vision of the vision/ mission and objectives of the organisations he will be like a bus driver whose bus has no destination. He/ she will be a demotivated person. The new member should be made aware of what role he/she has to play in order to produce the expected results. If the new staff member is a teacher, he/ she will have to show how to draw up schemes of work and prepare lesson plans. The head can assign the head of the department or senior teachers to assist the new member. The member should be made aware of the departmental requirements. The member should be made aware of the quality and quantity of work expected from the students. The new member should be made aware of the duties he has to perform and how the fit in with what other people would be doing. He/she should be made aware of what skills to be developed in the students. There is also need for the new member to know more about the equipment he/she will be using, if any.
In the science laboratory, there is a lot of equipment to be used. Some schools have lap tops, film projectors, cameras etc. The new member should be trained in the use of such important equipment. This will safeguard the new member and students from danger and will also ensure that the equipment is not easily damaged. The new member should be made aware of what decisions they should take and to whom to go for specific decisions. The new member should be made aware of what goes on in the department where they will be working.
The new member of staff should also be made aware of what the head expects from him/her. There is also need for the new member to know how to approach the school head and how he/ she should address him/her. The new member should also be made aware of the interests and attitudes of other members of staff. There is also a need for the new member to know the senior members of the institution and how to approach them. He / she should be made aware of the kind of interests they have and how they would expect the new member to behave and act towards them. The new staff member should also be made aware of what they can contact their seniors for. It is also important that the new member know the top managers in the institution, their names and positions and where they are stationed. There are some teachers who do not know the names of their Schools` Inspectors, Districts Education Officers, Provincial Education Directors, Permanent Secretaries, Ministers of Education and their deputies. It is the responsibility of the head to acquaint his new staff members with the names of key persons in the organisation. The new staff member should know how to recognise and address them.

Professional associations
The new staff member should be made aware of teacher associations and unions like ZIMTA, PTUZ and others. In the case of non-teaching staff, the member should be made aware of the existence of Workers Committees and the National Employment Councils. The new member should know the representatives of these associations and unions and what they are interested in. The new member should be made aware of the powers of these organisations and their relationships with other staff members and the employer. The new member should be made aware of the issues on which these unions can be contacted for. The new member should also be made aware of the grievance-handling procedures in the organisation and all the channels of communication in the organisation.
The new staff member should also be acquainted with the image of the organisation and how it can be upheld. There is, therefore, a need to make the new member aware of the policies and ethics of the organisation. The new member should be made aware of the standards of dress required and how the member should deal with the public and even the media in order to maintain the good image of the institution.
The new member should also be made aware the condition of service that affects them. They should be made aware of the various types of leave that a member may apply for. They should also be made aware of other benefits that the organisation may offer its members for example housing benefits, medical benefits and car loans. The new member should be made aware of how they can be promoted in the organisation and the various promotion posts available to them.
It is very crucial that the new member be made aware of the rules and regulations of the organisation. The member must be aware of the behavior expected of him/her. If this is not done, the member may find him/herself in a very difficult situation.

A career comes to ruin
When I was a District Education Officer in one of the districts, we deployed a young and very intelligent university graduate teacher to one of our secondary school. In an introductory note to the head it was stated that they young teacher be oriented. We later discovered that the head had not been properly oriented. During the second term, this young teacher fell in love affair with a Form 3 student. When this love affair was discovered, the young teacher was charged for misconduct. When he appeared for disciplinary hearing, he was asked why he had proposed love to a school girl. He told the disciplinary committee that he loved the girl and was prepared to marry her. He told the committee that he was unaware of the fact that he had already violated the regulations and that he had committed an offence. He told the committee that he really loved the girl and that he was prepared to suffer. The disciplinary committee found him guilty and recommended that he be discharged from the service. His career was ruined at its infant stage. Ignorance has no defense!
The head was responsible for the suffering of this young man; the career of this young teacher. In the book of Ezekiel 33:7-9, the word of the Lord states quote, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear that I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘you wicked person you will surely die’, and you do not speak out to dissuade them their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sins, though you yourself will be saved.”
The heads should, therefore, be proper watchpersons for the subordinates so that their sufferings are not blamed on them. If the head had oriented the young teacher on the Public Service Regulations, the career of this young person could have been spared. The new staff member should be shown around the institution so that he/ she is aware of the different offices and the people who work there. He/ she should be able to find his/her way to these places.
The new member of the staff should be made aware of where he/she can get some medical attention. He / she can also be advised of where they can buy groceries at reasonable prices. It is also important for the new member to know where and how to get essentials like water. The member can also be made aware of the modes of transport used in the area and when and where they are available.
It is very important that the new member be made aware of the customs and norms of the people around the institution. There are some places where a male cannot just shake hands with any female he meets along the road. In certain areas, some types of dressing are not recommended. Induction on such issues will go a long way towards the limitation on necessary clashes.
Induction cannot be completed in one day so it should be on going. Learning by accident will not be good for the new member. It is the poor manager who expects the newcomers to pick out things for themselves. Induction should be systematic and well-planned. In the final analysis, the head is responsible for the new subordinate’s induction.

The writer is a retired educationist who served in the Ministry of Education for over 40 years. He was a teacher (1966-1974), school head at Nhamwi St Stanislaus School (1975-1984), DEO Chivi North (1985-1987), Chivi District Staffing Officer (1987-1993), Zaka Education Officer (1993-1996), Chivi Education Officer (1996-1999), Gutu DEO (1999-2008) and Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) Education Secretary (2008-2015).

The writer can be Contacted on 0784 949 878

Lit-Fest Poetry competition reveals raw talent in Masvingo

TellZimNews
-
0
Lit-Fest Poetry competition reveals raw talent in Masvingo


Ngonidzashe Paradza

Perseverance Muhoma

Another edition of Lit-Fest (Literature Festival) Poetry competition was held at Charles Austin Theatre last week, with organisers saying they were hopeful the event will grow by leaps and bounds.
Literature Festival Poetry is an outreach project to reach out to cities targeting budding writers and poets.
Festival administrator, Robson Lambada told TellZim News he was pleased with the success of the event and was looking forward to the final competitions to be held in Harare this coming November.
 “The activities outside of Harare are part of the outreach project by which we reach out to other cities targeting budding writers. We will have the annual festival which is a three-day-long event in Harare where we will be celebrating Black history,” said Lambada.
The local event, at which eight local poet stars and three guests from Harare participated, saw Ngonidzashe Paradza of Rhodene coming out ahead of everybody else to win for himself $60 in cash and a book.
Paradza said entering the competition was not about money or victory alone but to put himself and his work on the market.
“It was not about the prize but marketing myself as an artist as well as protecting my Poetry is Life brand. With myself being the best among the rest, it felt so humbling. Victory will come the day I will make Masvingo the home of poetry, the day my fellow poets will make a living out of their talents,” said Paradza.
With many years of experience in the industry, Paradza now eyes a successful career in poetry and at national level.
“I have been a poet for a solid nine years and now I look forward to becoming a successful poet in Zimbabwe while promoting poetry in all corners of the country,” Paradza said.

New council sports team on the cards

TellZimNews
-
0
New council sports team on the cards




Clayton Shereni

Masvingo City Council will soon engage in staff games and also join the local authorities’ national league of various sporting disciplines, it has been resolved.
The move comes at a time when other teams have already joined the national group of local authorities participating in annual staff games.
In recent council minutes, director of housing Levison Nzvura is instructed to expedite the new plans.
“The introduction of staff wellness sporting programmes in the city of Masvingo be granted and the Director of Housing and Community Services be instructed to facilitate joining the national group of local authorities on same,” read the minutes.
City fathers also resolved to buy three soccer balls and a soccer kit for the new Bushmead football team, with Nzvura being directed to present a detailed budget in the next full council meeting.
“The request was approved and the Director of Housing and Community Services was instructed to submit a budget to the next meeting on the cost of introducing sporting wellness programmes across council,” the minutes further read.
Council is also considering sponsoring a team in Division One in response to public requests to do so.
After a recent full council meeting, Mayor Collen Maboke promised that council will soon make consultations on whether to partially or fully bankroll a football club in the city.
“I raised the motion in our Monday full council meeting which the deputy mayor Councillor Wellington Mahwende seconded and we are making consultations on whether to fully bankroll a new club or one of the existing teams because we are lagging behind since other cities like Harare have their own teams,” said Maboke.
In 2017, the local authority tried to bankroll a football club in a bid to bring topflight league action to Masvingo but the then Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere shot down the plans saying they were not a service delivery priority.

Young spirit medium unsettles Chief Munyaradzi

TellZimNews
-
0
Young spirit medium unsettles Chief Munyaradzi

Precila Takabvirakare
GUTU – Intriguing
claims by a 24-year female spirit medium that the Munyaradzi chieftainship is
in wrong hands could see Urayayi Munyaradzi losing his position as chief.
The
Munyaradzi chieftainship has of late not been without controversy, with Urayayi
only being installed in 2016 after years of wrangling.
A
new controversy has now started with the emergence of Elizabeth Fadzanai, who
claims to be the spirit medium for Karivari Marumbi who is the great matriarch
of what is now known as the Munyaradzi chieftainship.
At
the Chiefs’ Hall in Mpandawana on Tuesday, an entranced Fadzanai recited the
oral tradition of the Munyaradzi chieftainship to a bewildered audience which
included current Chief Gutu, Edmund Masanganise and members of the Munyaradzi
royal family.
Fadzanai
claimed that Karivari Marumbi’s spirit was not happy that the chieftainship
created for her by Chief Chinomukutu (now Chief Gutu) over 200 years ago was
now being held by descendants of her husband’s children with another
woman. 
Fadzanai
said in the 18th Century, Karivari, a seer with rainmaking powers, came
with her husband Wanonoka Mushoriwa Nyashanu from an area in the present day
Mozambique and travelled to an area in the present day Bulawayo.
While
in Bulawayo, they received a message that a seven-year drought was devastating
Chinomukutu’s land.
They
left Bulawayo for Chinomukutu where she managed to bring rainfall thereby
pleasing the then Chief Chinomukutu who then gave her some land to be chief.
The
new chieftaincy stretched from Manjerenje to Rasa and from Dewure to Sote but
as time went by, old age caught up with Karivari and she delegated her son
Chinemasahwi Nyashanu to perform leadership duties on her behalf as she could
no longer do that herself.
Karivari
died in 1814 in Mazizi, Zvavahera area of present day Gutu district and
Chinemasahwi carried on as chief. When Chinemasahwi died, the throne was
tempered with by other power-hungry people and it ended up in the hands of
Zingwena Munyaradzi, Chinemasahwi’s half-brother.
Marumbi
claimed that it was that injustice that led to endless misfortunes for the
Munyaradzi chieftainship including complex succession wrangles.
She
said that could only come to an end if the royalty is restored to Karivari’s
own descendants most whom can now be found among the Rasa clan.
Representatives
of the Munyaradzi family seemed to agree with Fadzanai’s representations and
suggestions that the chieftainship be suspended until the new issues are
resolved.
There
are, however, reports that some of the royal house members want to apply for a
court interdict against Fadzanai whom they regard as a threat to their
legitimacy.

Teachers resist Govt’s ‘malicious’ TPC

TellZimNews
-
0
Teachers resist Govt’s ‘malicious’ TPC

…we will not be silenced
Upenyu
Chaota
The mooted Teaching Profession
Council Bill which would give birth to the Teaching Profession Council (TPC)
has been resisted by the Progressive Teachers’ Union (PTUZ) which sees the move
a dangerous experiment with educators.
PTUZ
has challenged the composition of the TPC saying the government was trying hard
to make sure it controlled teachers by trampling on their rights and freedoms.
The
Bill proposes that the profession be regulated by an 18-member council,
consisting of one representative from the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ),
Association of Trust Schools, Public Service Commission (PSC), Correspondence
and Independent Colleges, two members recommended by the Higher and Tertiary Education
ministry, from the Department of Teacher Education and Zimbabwe Council for
Higher Education, five registered teachers through an elected criteria set by
council and five registered teachers from teachers’ unions, among others.
If
established, the TPC would require teachers to seek an annually renewable
teaching practicing certificate which the council can either approve or reject
on its discretion.
PTUZ
president Dr Takavafira Zhou said they did not have anything against the TPC
but they wanted it to be run by teachers themselves without outside
interference.
“The
TPC should be run by teachers and the teachers should elect their own
chairperson. We do not want a situation where the TPC will be used to abuse
teachers. We are also against the issue of annual renewal of teaching
certificates but we are OK if it is done after five years. How can we have a
TPC without teachers?
“It
should be a teacher’s council by teachers. When journalists want to have their
own union, they do not go to the Ministry of Information to be told how to run
the union. This is what we want as teachers.
“The
government is trying to silence teachers that if they demand better working
conditions and embark of industrial action, they would have their certificates
revoked,” said Zhou.
PTUZ
secretary general Raymond Majongwe said the government must not appear as the
prime movers of the initiative as they are the ones who came up with the idea
back in 2015.
“In
2015, the PTUZ extensively interrogated the TPC issue but the government
ignored our submissions and suddenly they want to appear as the prime movers of
this initiative. The TPC must remain an autonomous self-regulating entity.
“Our
position is very clear, government must be miles away from the TPC. Teachers
should lead the way without any interference,” Majongwe posted on Twitter.

MDC Alliance congress template out

TellZimNews
-
0
MDC Alliance congress template out

…five-year threshold raises eyebrows


…independent candidates shut out

Upenyu
Chaota
It is all systems go for the MDC Alliance 2019
congress as its guiding template which spells out the rules of the game has
been released with many questions being raised on the five-year membership
limit to enable members to contest from ward to national posts.
According to the template, a candidate is eligible to
contest for any position from ward up to national levels if they have served in
the party for at least five years while branches have a minimum of two years.
This clause has raised many questions on the fate of
those who joined the alliance from other opposition political parties but party
spokesperson Jacob Mafume defended the move saying it was done to plug
infiltration.
“The five-year period does not shut anyone out. We are
not saying five years with the MDC but five years serving in their former
parties before they joined the alliance.
“We do not want people without any history to come and
contest for posts because we want to avoid infiltration. We know there are people
who want to sneak into our processes but we will not let them get away with
it,” said Mafume.
Asked what would happen to former Zanu PF members and
those that joined the alliance from parties that are not yet five-years-old,
Mafume said the congress will not shut out genuine members.
“The congress is not there to shut anyone out. We all
have a history in politics and we will look into that before we let people run
for positions,” said Mafume.
The MDC Alliance congress is going to start at branch
level with all branches across the country going for the polls between March 22
and March 24 while districts will vote between March 29 and March 31.
Provincial congresses will be done between April 5 and
April 27 setting the stage for the national congress to be held from May 24 to May
26.
 “If
for any reason, one stood as an independent candidate, they are automatically
disqualified from contesting and participating in the congress processes.
“Candidates will be
disqualified if they promote factionalism or if they campaign as a slate.
Malicious gossiping is strictly prohibited,” the template reads.
It prohibits members
from campaigning in provinces where they do not reside except for national
positions.
“No one is allowed to
campaign in a province where they do not come from except for national
positions.
All candidates shall be
given a formal platform (caucuses) at various levels to present their
credentials and programmes as justification for suitability to be office
holders.
“Districts shall
convene caucuses for provincial candidates to present their manifestos.
Provinces shall convene caucuses for national candidates to present their
manifestos. The youth assembly shall convene a youth caucuses for candidates,”
reads the template.
On the national
nomination procedure, the templates states that, “The nomination process for
national positions shall be presided over by an Independent Board appointed by
National Executive.
“For one to be elected
he /she must have at least have one nomination from Province to National. According
to the constitution there are 13 provinces in the party, 10 in Zimbabwe and 3
outside Zimbabwe.”
The party’s security department will do the vetting
process working with the organising department.

No water for Gweru beyond eight months

TellZimNews
-
0
No water for Gweru beyond eight months



Tinaani Nyabereka

GWERU – The
city’s main water source is left with supplies that would not last residents
beyond October if people do not revise their usage habits and if no rains are
received during the period, it has been learnt.
Speaking at an engagement meeting on Wednesday, Gweru
City Council director of engineering, Robson Manase said $90 million was needed
for the refurbishment of the city’s water systems.
“Our dams are not big enough. Gwenhoro Dam has water
that can only supply water to our residents for the coming eight months. More
water sources have to be established and new pumps have to be installed to
replace the ancient ones,” said Manase.
Gweru
Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRAA), in partnership with Community Solutions
Zimbabwe (CSZ) said they were encouraging people to use water sparingly.
GRRA
president Seliphiwe Cornelia said it was critical for residents to adopt
water-saving routines.
“As
residents, we have come up with ideas we think will help council to save our
limited water resources. We can live with less water but not without water
hence our call for all residents to do better,” said Cornelia.
He
said the residents’ rights organisation acknowledged the challenge at hand and
was working on a position paper for submission to council.
“We
are now working on a paper containing all ideas that have been raised in this
meeting for submission to council,” he said.
                              

Selfish leadership keeping Masvingo down

TellZimNews
-
0
Selfish leadership keeping Masvingo down


Monalisa
Matongo
Masvingo City Council is wantonly
turning away investors on spurious technicalities while ignoring the glaring
developmental shortcomings of the city, it has been learnt.
In late 2018, council turned down an
application by renowned businessman, Wonderful Mutangiri to establish a private
hospital in the industrial area saying the location was not suitable.
The city fathers claimed that the
industrial area was noisy and that the surroundings were filled with impurities
that were hazardous to human health.
A close source, however, said Mutangiri
was denied a license because he did not pay a bribe which senior officials had
expected.
The Public Works and Planning Committee,
which is chaired by Cllr Tarusenga Vhembo of Ward 3, recently rejected an
application by Mr A. and E. Masocha to build a hospitality school due to ‘incompatibility
of the proposed development with the current land use’.
Council minutes state that Stand Number
1394 Beryl Road, where the investors intended to build the hospitality school, was
designed strictly for industrial use and could, therefore, not be altered for
any other use.
“The predominant usage, currently motor
vehicle repairs, would not be compatible with learning”, the minutes read.
In the previous full council meeting, some
councillors, however, felt rules were being selectively applied as Great Zimbabwe
University (GZU) was a few years ago allowed to establish a campus in the same
area.
“We have to be consistent when
considering issues. We cannot reject a proposal for a learning institution in
an area with a running university campus,” said Cllr Godfrey Kurauone of Ward
4.
A council insider who spoke to TellZim
News said a domineering cabal was running the show in council, vetoing all
proposals that did not suit its corrupt interests.
“Why not offer alternative land to
investors rather than just turn them away? Who in their right minds would just
say no to a potential investor and turn away when every urban area is so
desperate for investment?
‘Rhodene was designed as a residential
area but many people have applied and obtained change of use certificates for
their properties, and you now find many offices and pre-schools there so what’s
the difference?
“This is the reason why this so-called
city is such a pathetic sight. We are known for being a place led by rude and
overzealous hangers-on who just want to line their pockets. That’s why even
Mvuma is doing better than us. Had Mtukudzi applied to build his Pakare Paya
Arts Centre in Masvingo, you can be sure he would have been turned down,” said
a council insider.
.

Zifa decentralises Warriors/Congo pre-match tickets to provinces

TellZimNews
-
0
Zifa decentralises Warriors/Congo pre-match tickets to provinces


Clayton Shereni

National football mother body, Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) Masvingo, has started to sell pre-match tickets for the national senior team, the Warriors, and Congo Brazzaville slated for March 24, 2019, at the giant National Sports Stadium.
Zifa Masvingo provincial administrator Cleopatra Matinhure confirmed the development and called upon all football fans to purchase the tickets in time to avoid inconveniences.
“We have started selling tickets for the Warriors and Congo match. Fans will get the tickets at our offices office from 8am-5pm from Mondays to Fridays. We urge all fans to come and purchase their tickets now and rally behind our team,” said Matinhure.
The cheapest ticket is pegged at $10 but a place at bays 15-18 will cost $50 while the grand stand will cost $200.
Zifa has vowed not to sell tickets on the match day so as to avoid inconveniences and long queues at the stadium.
Fans that cannot access the offices can also purchase their tickets online through EcoCash and Telecash on www.clicknpay.africa.
However, the online ticket should be printed and produced at the stadium as proof of payment.
In January, Zifa learnt a lesson after the FC Platinum and Orlando Pirates Caf Champions League game at Babourfields Stadium in Bulawayo saw many fans going back home disappointed after failing to gain entry into the stadium due to long ticket queues.
Pictures of Warriors legend Benjani Mwaruwari struggling to gain entry at Babourfields made waves on social media, triggering an online onslaught against the ticketing system.

Cervical cancer – the monster that will not respect ART

TellZimNews
-
0

Dr Angeline Mapanga and Sister Tafadzwa Chimwanza pose with journalists at a sensitization workshop in Harare recently.

Theresa Takafuma

What started as an intuition for Angeline Chiwetani (45) of Chitungwiza ended up saving her life from one of the most common cancers in women—cervical cancer.
Back in 2015 Chiwetani, who has been living with HIV for 23 years, was a fairly fit woman, thanks to the Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) she is taking.
She would not have suspected that something sinister, yet very unpredictable to the naked eye was taking place on her cervix, which had started developing lesions that over time were going to develop into cervical cancer.
As an HIV activist, Chiwetani had attended numerous local, intercontinental and global HIV forums, where the message kept growing louder and louder; women living with HIV were four to five times more at risk of cervical cancer.
Her intuition to get screened for cervical cancer continued to budge her until she eventually complied.
“I had information about cervical cancer and the increased risk women living with HIV have, but like anyone else, I hesitated several times,” Chiwetani said.
“I wanted to speak from an informed point of view and to walk the talk when encouraging other women to go for regular cervical cancer screening,” she added.
Chiwetani finally summoned the courage to go for screening at a clinic in Seke, Chitungwiza, where it was discovered that she had precancerous lesions on her cervix.
“I was traumatized at first, and I told the nurses that I wanted to process the news first before I return for treatment. It took me nearly two weeks but I had to summon enough courage to go for the removal of the lesions,” Chiwetani said.
“I then started cryotherapy, which is basically the removal of the lesions on my cervix. The process was very painful and I do not want to remember that part of my healing journey,” she said.
Chiwetani, who later went back for check-up in 2017, was found in the clear and says she deeply encourages women, especially those living with HIV to go for regular cervical cancer screening as they are four to five times at risk of developing cervical cancer.
In a presentation at a recent media sensitisation workshop in Harare, Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) country  director Dr Tinashe Chinyanga said that Zimbabwe has more than half a million women on antiretroviral treatment, who should be encouraged to go for cervical cancer screening since they are at more risk.
“The mere fact that these women are on antiretroviral treatment means that they are conscious of their health and wellbeing, and should therefore be encouraged to go for regular cervical cancer screening,” Dr Chinyanga said.
OPHID technical director Dr Angeline Mapanga also told participants that Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer does not always clear on its own in women living with HIV, and could later cause lesions on the cervix, which if not removed will develop into cervical cancer for women between 30 to 49 years of age.
“While HPV does what we call spontaneous regression—which means clearing on its own in younger women, it is not always the case with women living with HIV, and that calls for regular cervical cancer screening for them,” Dr Mapanga said.
“Cervical cancer is an AIDS defining cancer, as it also is the most common cancer in women in developing countries where Zimbabwe is found. We encourage preventive health seeking behavior in women because the earlier precancerous lesions are discovered on the cervix the easier and less costly it becomes,” said Dr Mapanga.
Presenting on the Zimbabwean experience with Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera (VIAC), Sister Tafadzwa Chimwanza from United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) VIAC centre said women are often misled by the misconceptions of what happens during screening, hence the fear of being examined.
“There are myths about certain objects being inserted in a woman’s genitalia during cervical cancer screening, and that is one of the reasons why women end up hesitating to come for screening,” Chimwanza said.
“A lot of issues are at play, which includes some women inserting herbs in their genitalia and the fear that during screening they will be discouraged to use them, but the good news is that some women who would have been suffering in silence about certain problems that are not necessarily cervical end up getting help,” said Chimwanza.
The Zimbabwe Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Strategy (ZCCPCS) which is running from 2016 to 2020 states that there is an unknown but heavy cervical cancer burden, with HIV enhancing chronic HPV infection which is thus a huge contributing factor for cervical cancer.
Meanwhile, OPHID has a USD$1million grant to support cervical cancer programmes in Zimbabwe, working in 24 districts in five provinces.
The organization is also working with JF Kapnek Trust in Midlands in Masvingo provinces, and is targeting to screen 58 147 women living with HIV from 30 to 49 years of age between October 2018 up until September 2019.

1...566567568...958Page 567 of 958