Durham News Features - View Article - Lakeridge Health team takes expertise to Zimbabwe

RELATED FACTS

The Republic of Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, is located in the southern part of Africa between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the north and Mozambique to the east. The capital city is Harare and the country is divided into eight provinces and two cities with provincial status. As of 2003, the population was 12,576,742.

Climate and geography
Zimbabwe has a hot tropical climate, moderated by altitude, and experiences a rainy season from November to March. The northwestern border is defined by the Zambezi River, which includes Victoria Falls, the world's largest waterfall. A range of mountains and highlands, including Mt. Inyangani, form the eastern border and there is a high central plateau between the Limpopo River and the Zambezi River.

Language and culture
English is the official language although only two per cent of the population consider this their first language. Bantu languages like Shona and Sindebele are more widely spoken, especially in the rural areas.

Traditional arts include pottery, basketry, textiles, jewelry, and carving. The most widely recognized crafts include symmetrically patterned woven baskets and stools carved from a single piece of wood. The metamophasis of man into beast is a reoccurring theme in sculpture, baskets and other art forms. Zimbabwe is one of the only African countries to have an international pop music following, based on the Jit style which features electric guitars. Well known Zimbabwean groups include the New Black Eagles, the Four Brothers and the Bhundu Boys. Native music styles like mbira and chimurenga are also popular.

Religion
Half of the population adheres to a mixture of Christian and indigenous beliefs, while 25 per cent identify as Christian and another 25 per cent are Muslim. The Mwari cult is the most widely practiced indigenous religion, involving ancestor worship and spiritual intercession. Mwari is an unknown supreme being that communicates with humans though a cave dwelling oracle called the Voice of Mwari.

HIV and AIDS
Zimbabwe has the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the world - the United Nations recently estimated that 34 per cent of the population is affected. An estimated 1.8 million Zimbabweans have HIV and 295,000 need antiretroviral treatment immediately, but only 8,000 are receiving it according to the World Health Organization.

Government and politics
Zimbabwe has a parliamentary democracy system, lead by a president and parliament, formerly known as the House of Assembly.

Robert Mugabe was elected prime minister in 1980, and revised the constitution in 1987 to make himself president, and again in 1990 to abolish the senate. President Mugabe's party Zanu PF has won every election since the country gained independence in 1980. Presidential elections were last held in 2002 amid allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation, and fraud. The next election is slated for 2008 when the major opposition party is expected to be the Movement for Democratic Change.

Poverty and economy
Zimbabwe faces an array of economic problems as it struggles to recover millions lost during its involvement in a war in the Congo and the workforce weakens under the growing AIDS epidemic. The lack of foreign exchange and the difference between the official exchange rate have resulted in fuel, electric power and water shortages and a lack of other basic supplies. Many people live in extreme poverty and the unemployment rate is high.

In July 2005 Zimbabwe appealed to the South African government for $1 billion (US) in emergency loans and agreed a trade deal with China, providing mineral and other concessions in exchange for economic aid. The country's main exports include tobacco, gold, textiles, chemicals and fuel.

History
In the early 1900s, Zimbabwe was a British Colony known as Rhodesia, after British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. It became a self-governing colony in 1922, and was declared a republic in 1970 after decades of rebellion against the United Kingdom. Resistance to rule by white leaders lead to a civil war in the late 1970s, intensified by an uprising in neighbouring Mozambique. This period of revolution was known as "the Second Chimurenga." The civil war ended in 1979 after the British government helped negotiate a settlement. Zimbabwe's first free elections were held in 1980.

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Lakeridge Health team takes expertise to Zimbabwe

Aug 18, 2007 By: Jillian Follert

(Originally published Sept. 3, 2005)

DURHAM -- When a team of experts from Lakeridge Health leaves for Zimbabwe on Friday, they will bring bags stuffed with medicine, vitamins and hospital supplies.

But more importantly, says registered nurse Tobin Brown, they will bring hope to hundreds of people living with HIV and AIDS. "We want to teach nurses there that just because someone has HIV, it doesn't mean they will die," she said. "For the first time, they will have access to treatment. We hope it will change some of the stigma and fear."

Five members of Lakeridge Health's Positive Care Clinic, which specializes in HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, will spend two weeks at Howard Hospital in the rural community of Chiweshe. The hospital has been assisted by Ve'ahavta, the Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee since 1998, and now has the capacity to begin offering HIV treatment for 480 patients.

The Lakeridge delegation, which includes two registered nurses, a pharmacist, social worker and infectious disease specialist, will help by teaching drug administration techniques and creating patient records so health can be tracked over the long term.

"This will be a big challenge, because many people in Zimbabwe have the same name and don't know their date of birth," explained Ms. Brown. "Most people only go to the hospital to have a baby or die, so the idea of continuing follow-up care will be very new to them."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.8 million Zimbabweans are now infected with HIV. Of that number, 295,000 need antiretroviral treatment immediately, but only about 8,000 are receiving it.

While international funding and support have helped to prolong the lives of many Africans with AIDS, Zimbabwe has been largely ignored, mostly due to President Robert Mugabe's tense relationship with the United States, Britain and other Western countries.

Rural areas of the country are especially overwhelmed. In Chiweshe an estimated 200,000 people are infected with HIV. Harare -- the closest major city -- has only one HIV testing facility and treatment clinic.

"Every day our staff go beyond the call of duty to help those who need it most. This initiative shows that this compassion and caring goes beyond the borders of Durham," said Lakeridge CEO Brian Lemon. "Our staff at the Positive Care Clinic are very special people."

Monetary donations to support the mission are welcome. For more information contact Sarah Zelcer at Ve'ahavta at 416-964-7698 ext. 15.