A 14-year-old girl from the Johane Marange Apostolic Church reportedly died on Tuesday a few days after giving birth at home in Buhera.
Family relative and lawyer Norris Johannes confirmed Delight Masomeke’s death to NewsDay.
He said Delight, of Bvumbura Village in Chivhu, gave birth to a baby girl on 29 December 2022 at Masasa in Buhera but died three days later. Said Johannes:
<blockquote>
The deceased is said to have given birth to a baby girl on December 29, 2022, and remained unwell until she succumbed to (an undisclosed) illness yesterday (Monday).
Her mother Nelia Matarirano is my sister, but the family was not aware that the girl was married.
All we knew was she was at school, only to be shocked by the news of her death yesterday.
Relatives wanted to hastily bury her, but we sought police intervention. We are at the police station filing a report.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told NewsDay that he had not received a report of the case. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200005727/girl-14-dies-after-birth-related-complications">NewsDay</a>

Pindula News

Girl (14) Dies After Birth-related Complications

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care chairperson Ruth Labode said that the levels of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe have reached epidemic levels, with thousands of teenagers forced to quit school after falling pregnant.
Contributing to a discussion in the National Assembly on Wednesday on what action responsible authorities must take regarding underage children who die while giving birth, Labode said the scourge of teenage pregnancies will not end unless urgent action is taken. She said:
<blockquote>
Madam Speaker, I am hurt and shocked that the levels of teenage pregnancies in Zimbabwe have reached epidemic levels and for us to sit here and pretend there is a social norm or a family core that will deal with that issue is very sad.
I remember Minister (Sithembiso) Nyoni came to this House and presented a report of 55 000 teenage girls who got pregnant within a month.
The report on Education said 10 000 teenage girls left school because of pregnancies and we sit here and pretend it is something that will just disappear.
What I am saying is that we have a serious problem at hand.
We need to do everything within our power and deal with Section 35 of the Public Health Act.
We know that our young women are indulging in sex. Why do we want to pretend that they should not go to health facilities and get that service that can serve them? We have to do something.
</blockquote>
This follows the death of a Grade 7 pupil from Katanga, Norton, a small town in Mashonaland West Province, who died while giving birth in Bikita on 04 October 2022.
Nokutenda Hwaramba, who was 15, died at an apostolic church shrine while giving birth.
In July 2021, 14-year-old Anna Machaya died while giving birth at an apostolic shrine in Marange.
In January 2022, 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange died from excessive bleeding while delivering. |<a href="https://cite.org.zw/teenage-pregnancies-have-reached-epidemic-levels-labode/"> CITE</a>

Teenage Pregnancies Have Reached Epidemic Levels - Labode

The Grade 7 pupil from Katanga, Norton, a small town in Mashonaland West Province, who died while giving birth in Bikita on 04 October, was buried in Mt Darwin on Thursday.
Nokutenda Hwaramba’s body was ferried from Bikita to Mt Darwin on Wednesday and laid to rest on the following day.
Her father, Bernard Hwaramba, told <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/norton-teen-laid-to-rest/">H-Metro</a> that they will release the details related to the circumstances which led to his 15-year-old daughter’s death in due course. He said:
<blockquote>
We have laid Nokutenda to rest. We saw it best to lay her to rest early since we spent the night travelling.
Details surrounding her death will be released later since we are still mourning her.
Nokutenda died on Tuesday at an apostolic church shrine while giving birth.
</blockquote>
She had been taken to the shrine by her father for prayers as their church doctrine does not allow them to seek medical help at hospitals.
Some Katanga residents had threatened to beat up Bernard, and his church members, accusing them of causing the death of Nokutenda.
Speaking to H-Metro on Wednesday, Nokutenda’s mother, Loice Muparadziwo, said her daughter was impregnated by one of their neighbours, one Aaron. She said:
<blockquote>
Nokutenda was said to have been impregnated by one Aaron from our neighbourhood.
She got sick and would just fall down as if possessed by evil spirits.
Her father consulted prophets from his congregation and later took her to Bikita for more prayers.
He left Nokutenda in the hands of the intercessors and she died while giving birth at the shrine.
The church doctrine did not allow us to take Nokutenda to a clinic, or hospital, to give birth or for any medical treatment.
I failed to accompany them to Bikita because I was also due to deliver and I had a miscarriage at Norton General Hospital on the day Nokutenda passed away.
</blockquote>
Nokutenda’s death echoes the death of 14-year-old Anna Machaya who died while giving birth in Marange in July 2021 and that of 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange who died in January 2022 from excessive bleeding while delivering.
Hatirarami Momberume alias Evans Michael Momberume, a devotee of the Johane Marange apostolic sect has been charged with Anna’s murder.
Anna’s parents, Edmore Machaya (45) and Shy Mabika (36) were jailed for nine months each – wholly suspended – for lying to detectives about her age.
Ferby died on 12 January 2022 and police charged her “husband” 29-year-old Arthur Chitombo with having sexual relations with a minor.

Girl (15) Who Died While Giving Birth At Church Shrine Buried

Zimbabwe’s public hospitals are reportedly turning away pregnant women due to a shortage of various items needed for childbirth.
A memorandum from Harare’s Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals directed to the principal nursing officer, one Mpande from one Mukona revealed that there was a crisis at the institution.
The memorandum, dated 9 June 2022, said the public hospital was facing shortages of surgical items such as bandages and razors, among other things. NewsDay quoted a source as saying:
<blockquote>
Pregnant women who are in need of an operation are being sent back home to collect the materials needed, just imagine, because the hospital is saying they have shortages of surgical materials.
</blockquote>
However, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals’ acting spokesperson Sincere Shamu denied the claims when contacted for a comment by NewsDay. Shamu said:
<blockquote>
We have noted the allegations that pregnant women due for operations at Parirenyatwa are being sent home to collect materials needed for their surgery.
The hospital is making all efforts to make sure all critical consumables required for operations are available.
</blockquote>
Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital in Mutar is reported to be facing both food and drug challenges.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s medical Superintendent Dorcas Masanga Mutede on Wednesday refused to comment on the matter.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/06/hospitals-turn-away-pregnant-women/">NewsDay</a></h4>

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