03.04.2024
A major impact on young lives
Photo: © SolidarMed

SoldarMed "People with severe non-communicable diseases need early diagnosis and then systematic treatment. This is key, particularly for children like Tawonashe. (...) Once Tawonashe was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, his treatment started at Masvingo Provincial Hospital. His stays in hospital became less frequent and he suffered less pain. But the sickle cell medication was often unavailable at the hospital pharmacy, so his parents had to spend at least CHF 25 a month to buy it from a private one. Sometimes money was short so Tawonashe received too little or no medication at all. He was repeatedly hospitalised because he suffered from pain, couldn’t breathe properly and had anaemia. On top of that, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2022. "