By Midlands Correspondent
GOKWE SOUTH – A raw and revealing dialogue in the heart of Zimbabwe’s Midlands Province has exposed deep-seated myths and cultural misconceptions around sex, pregnancy, and HIV prevention that health officials say are contributing to the spread of infections.
The discussion, part of a National AIDS Council (NAC) Media Fellowship tour, brought together village headmen, community members, and health workers at the remote Katema Clinic in Gokwe South.
After a gruelling 120km off-road journey from the NAC office, the news crew arrived at the clinic to find a community eager to engage in a “no holds barred” indaba. The session was lit by the presence of over 20 village headmen and representatives from Chief Jiri’s area.
For the women of the community, the forum was a rare opportunity to be heard.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to be here today… As women, we are never given a chance to speak. We are treated like children, only to be seen. We bear the brunt of hardships, yet no one listens,” said Gogo Magogosa.
A major point of contention was cultural norms around sex during pregnancy. One village headman asserted a common belief:
“A pregnant mother must stop engaging in sex at seven months because it is detrimental to the unborn baby… the baby will be born with ngetani (a severe rash) from the sperms.”
This was directly countered by Gokwe South’s Community Nurse and HIV Focal Person, Sister Nomatter Kamudande.
“There is no harm to the unborn baby if parents have sex. It is safe and can even be done hours before labour,” she stated, explaining that the cultural practice of kusungira was a ritual of ancestral blessing, not a medical precaution.
The conversation then turned to HIV prevention, where misconceptions around condom use within marriage were rampant.
“Condoms are not meant for wives. Wives are faithful and so I do not use a condom at home,” claimed Village Headman Alfonso Singadi.
He further argued against their use with partners outside marriage, stating,
“Condoms take away the pleasure, it’s like eating a wrapped sweet… Since she looks healthy, I do not use a condom.”
Sister Kamudande emphasized the scientific facts:
“Condoms are safe. They prevent sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV, the human papilloma virus (HPV) and pregnancy.”
The dialogue also tackled hormonal changes with age. Using a vivid analogy, shop owner Cleopatra Jongwe explained why older women’s sex drive wanes, comparing it to “an old car needs cranking to navigate the same road it traversed with ease before.”
Sister Kamudande built on this, clarifying the critical difference between menopause in women and andropause in men.
“Even if an old man gets a younger girl, the libido has waned. One will not meet the sexual needs of the youthful woman,” she said, highlighting that this disparity can drive risky sexual behaviour.
The influence of traditional leaders was clear when one headman declared himself a “doctor” who successfully performs traditional surgeries for birth complications and fibroids without any fatalities.
When questioned by Sister Kamudande on whether he used sterilized blades and gloves, he offered no response.
The NAC engagement underscored the critical need to equip community leaders with accurate information to combat dangerous myths and reduce HIV transmission at the grassroots level.
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