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Angel saves Chipawo life
CHIPAWO
December 06, 2010

If you read the heading carefully you will see that it does not say "Angel saves CHIPAWO's life". That would imply that the angel did something to help CHIPAWO out of a sticky situation. No, this angel actually saved the life of a member of the CHIPAWO family.

What happened was this. There is a young lady, a graduate, who works for CHIPAWO as the Programmes Officer, whom for the purposes of this news item we shall call Patience. She was the one who went to India a few months back to teach children Zimbabwean dance and culture. She was also involved in the recent road accident and had her leg in plaster for some weeks. Currently she and her sister are living with me as their family was illegally evicted with many other families from a huge apartment complex by the landlord.

About three weeks ago Patience began to complain of pains, weakness and loss of appetite. I was away and when I returned and heard her symptoms I thought at first that she might be anaemic. She went onto iron tablets and for a day or two this seems to have brought about a marked change for the better.

However on Thursday last week, I was called to fetch her from the office as she was not well. She was shivering with cold and very weak. The next day her family took her to Parirenyatwa Hospital. This hospital is the main referral hospital in the country. If we had abided by the treatment that was dished out to her there, she would be dead today.

Patience and her family spent the whole day at the hospital. The first doctor said it could be malaria. The second said it wasn't and pronounced with great helpfulness that it was 'fever'. Even as a layman, I know that fever is caused by an illness and that there are many different types of fever. The 'fever' was treated but the cause was not investigated. She bought the prescribed pain-killers and antibiotics and came home.

By next morning it was clear that she was in serious distress. She was panting and could no longer walk. I did not know what to do. I could see she needed professional attention. So I decided to take her to a local private Medical Centre.

Though at one stage in Zimbabwe most working families had some kind of medical insurance, few have today. With the economy slowly stabilising and people trying to scrape together enough to pay the basics, medical insurance is only gradually becoming a possibility again. CHIPAWO had in place a comprehensive group medical insurance scheme for its staff until the big crash earlier this year. Now it has nothing.

Patience's family had no insurance and so that was going to mean cash on the nail - up front. Whereas Parirenyatwa is affordable by almost all, the local private medical centre can only be accessed by the relatively well-off.

The first down payment was the consultation fee - US$30. But Patience at last began to receive proper medical attention. Meanwhile I phoned her mother and arranged to meet her and bring her to the medical centre. Before we could get back, I got a call from the doctor at the centre, saying that she needed X-rays and a pelvic scan. I told him we were on our way.

When we got there the doctor gave us the alarming news. The patient had septicaemia. He said she had an infection caused by a suspected abdominal abscess. The infection had spread to the blood stream and now was affecting the whole body. At this point one began to fear the worst. She needed to go for two X-rays and a scan urgently.

The bill at the medical centre was US105. The ambulance would be another US$40. When I said I would take her in Nzou (the legendary 1983 Ford Cortina station wagon), the sister pointed out that Patience really was very sick. So the ambulance it had to be. The two X-rays and the scan were going to come to over US$200 but since it was Saturday and we would arrive after 12 noon there was going to be a surcharge of another US$60.

The cash I happened to have with me - or available for that matter - would cover the costs at the medical centre and the ambulance but there was no money for the X-rays and the scan. What to do? We needed money and we needed it quick.

CHIPAWO had nothing. It was too late to raid the bank and in any case CHIPAWO staff were busy at the National Arts Council's Jikinya Primary Schools dance competition finals, where CHIPAWO children had been contracted to perform. I seem to have very few friends who are able to help in such circumstances. Those I have were not available.

That is when I phoned the CHIPAWO angel. She is a highly-educated professional, who has supported CHIPAWO, attended CHIPAWO functions and generally shown her appreciation of CHIPAWO'S work over the years. I managed to get hold of her. She was on her way out but agreed immediately, asked me where the medical centre is and drove over with the money. I told her she was an angel. I meant it in both meanings of the word. An angel can be a benefactor as in angels of a particular theatre that they support with yearly donations.

After handing the money over and as she drove away she said: "Don't bother to pay it back. I know CHIPAWO is poor. Take it as a donation." I called after her: "CHIPAWO is rich - but not in money." Laughing, she said "Whatever!" and drove away.

The scan and X-rays revealed that indeed there was a problem in her abdomen. She was immediately sent off to hospital - Parirenyatwa again as it happens. But this time to a specialist who had been well briefed by the young doctor at the centre. She was operated on at 1am this morning and seems to be making a good recovery . Let us hope for the best - and thank the 'angel' and the staff of the centre that I believe really did save a CHIPAWO life.

I couldn't help being struck by the irony of those queues at Parirenyatwa and one or two probably junior or student doctors struggling to attend to all those who needed them and the nice, competent young doctor at the private medical centre, lounging against a piece of furniture chatting with the sister after he had finished attending to Patience. A day's waiting for poor medical delivery for those who do not have the money and instant attention and excellent care for those who do! And what would have happened if there had been no angel?

In truth, those who have, have and those who have not, have not.

Patience was operated on at 1am that night. The operation was successful. She is now out of Intensive Care and recovering well. Hats off to Parirenyatwa after all. The nursing care has been exemplary.

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