International Journal of Advances In Case Reports

MANYAYA AND RECURRENT RESPIRATORY ATTACKS: THE ENERGY SHORTAGE AND HEALTH HAZARD DILEMMA IN ZIMBABWE

Miriam Chitura

miriamchitura@yahoo.com

Multiparous woman, Energy availability, Pneumoconiosis, Prolonged exposure.

The role of women in the African context is to serve and provide for the family. Manyaya who is a multiparous woman, delivered all her eleven children in her round kitchen with the assistance of traditional midwives. The small lit fire provided light and energy to the family. The energy shortage and health hazard dilemma is clearly not understood by the rural residents. The author interviewed rural women in their homes, made observations and reviewed documented information on energy availability and the challenges faced by women in Zimbabwe. Manyaya is now an invalid in her late 70’s and has suffered recurrent respiratory attacks. The dream of Zimbabwe to realize total rural electrification remains a mirage. The author tried to bring out vivid stories of rural women who have succumbed to such conditions as pneumoconiosis, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, conjunctivitis and other health problems, due to prolonged exposure to smoky huts and other social ills. Objectives of the chapter:  To highlight the magnitude of the problem of energy shortages  To assess the involvement of men in carrying out household chores  To indicate the role of traditional chiefs and significant others in policy formulation  To discuss the knowledge gaps  To suggest possible strategies that may assist to alleviate the energy shortage and health hazard dilemma in rural Zimbabwe Findings in this paper will assist to further develop Distance Education health awareness programs for the purposes of information distribution to the rural Zimbabweans. It is hoped that this will be done through the Zimbabwe Open University where the applicant is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health Sciences.