Health Correspondent
A devastating case of medical misdiagnosis at Citimed Chitungwiza Hospital has led to the wrongful arrest of a 14-year-old girl and the criminal conviction of her father, exposing alarming failures in both healthcare and justice systems.
The incident began in January 2025 when the teenager was initially treated for a suspected heart condition. Subsequent tests revealed anemia, but a shocking abdominal scan falsely claimed the girl was nine months pregnant – despite no physical signs of pregnancy.
The family’s concerns were dismissed by hospital staff who insisted “lack of stomach fluids” was concealing the pregnancy. Their doubts were validated when the girl began menstruating days later and a second medical opinion revealed she actually suffered from adenomyosis, a rare gynecological condition.
Rather than acknowledging the error, hospital authorities reportedly doubled down. The girl was arrested multiple times – first from her home, then from her school – on abortion allegations, despite medical examinations confirming no pregnancy had ever existed.
Her father, Mavuto Chiocha, faced his own legal battles when he questioned the diagnosis. He was convicted of assaulting the hospital CEO based on testimony from hospital staff and a police officer, though he maintains:
“I never assaulted him. I would not stoop so low as a professional. This is just a cover-up.”
The trauma led the young girl to attempt suicide, while her father served time in remand prison before being released pending appeal.
The case has raised serious questions about medical accountability and police conduct, with the family now seeking justice through higher courts and the Health Services Board.