Border Gezi youth training graduate and nurse turns anti-cancer crusader

By Auther Chimbgwa

When Rodwell Makoni took up training in Zimbabwe’s national youth training programme back in 2002, little did he know that this was the first step into a professional career that would see him transform into an ardent disease prevention evangelist.

The now oncology and palliative care nurse at Marondera Provincial Hospital is advocate for early cancer screening, often stepping out of the hospital ward for outreach programmes among communities and the church.

Cancer is responsible for nearly 30 percent of world deaths annually. Among some common cancers in Zimbabwe are cervical, breast and prostrate cancers.

Makoni feels the toll can be tamed if people would go for early screening so that proactive measures can be put in place to suppress the killer disease.

Speaking to Zimstar News during a recent visit to Marondera by the publication, the 47-year-old health practitioner had Island Hospice to thank for nourishing his interest in oncology and palliative care.

Palliative care was introduced to Marondera General Hospital by Island Hospice in 2018. The organisation has been working hand in glove with health facilities such as hospitals and clinics in attempts to tame cancer and other chronic diseases in the country.

Palliative care is a specialised medical approach aimed at alleviating symptoms, pain, and stress associated with serious illnesses, regardless of the diagnosis or stage of the disease.

Also read: Marondera nurse addresses ex-legislator and healer’s congregation on cancer awareness

Staff at Island Hospice and Makoni were instrumental in the establishment of new health facilities such as Chakadini Clinic in Marondera West, Zambezi Fresh Clinic in Marondera East and Wanganela Clinic in Marondera South.

“Among some accomplishments we registered with Island Hospice was managing to do Covid-19 vaccination outreach programmes to remote areas of the district during the height of the disease,” he said.

Makoni said of his journey into the depths of his beloved career, “After the introduction of palliative care at Marondera Provincial Hospital in 2018, I became keenly interested in palliative care and became the first palliative care chairman at my hospital.”

The senior nurse then became involved in carrying out some home visits to attend to cancer patients as well as those with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ashma which all fall under palliative care. The programme was done by the government health institution in collaboration with Island Hospice.

“We also worked cordially with this organisation through visiting huge gatherings to preach the need to go for cancer screening and fight other chronic diseases,” Makoni said.

The health professional, who trained to be a nurse at Bindura School of Nursing from 2003 to 2006, later enrolled for a course in oncology and palliative care for a year at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare last year and subsequently got a practising certificate.

“Palliative care was then officially launched last month this year and they are currently two more nurses with practising certificates whom I am working with here,” he said.

The nurse said every cancer patient who becomes diagnosed with the disease falls under palliative care including those with chronic diseases.

Makoni and his colleagues have made it part of their lives to visit large gatherings such as agricultural shows, schools, churches and other public gatherings to encourage people to go for early cancer screening.

They also visit home based patients to cure them and also give counsel on how to handle their ailments.

Recently, the nurse visited former legislator and spiritual healer Lawrence Katsiru’s shrine to speak to congregants about the dangers of cancer and how unnecessary death could be deterred.

His resolve has seen the health practitioner also named Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) secretary for health for Mashonaland East.

Even in his political space, Makoni still secures party vehicles and fuel from his party to visit cancer patients in the province.

A collected individual, Makoni believes his youth service training at Mushagashi, Masvingo in 2002 was a good launchpad to his professional life.

“The programme instils a sense of patriotism and belonging to the youths, and is therefore vitally important … it imparts life changing skills and is connected to the developmental goals of our nation,” he said.