The publication of the story about two women who underwent surgery at Chitungwiza General Hospital to remove fibroids and abdominal masses has prompted more women with similar problems to seek medical attention.
BY FELUNA NLEYA
Hospital authorities at Chitungwiza said this was evidence that many women were suffering in silence not knowing what to do.
Many of them would have visited traditional and faith healers without getting any help.
One of the women who had a 25kg tumour that was removed at Chitungwiza Hospital, Portia Tapfumanei, had endured four years with a heavily bloated belly which resembled advanced pregnancy.
She was successfully operated on at Chitungwiza Central Hospital where the tumour was successfully removed.
Chitungwiza General Hospital CEO, Obadiah Moyo said the hospital was now busy with women with related problems.
“Since the publication about the women who were operated here, we are receiving women with bloated bellies on a daily basis,” Moyo said. “They have similar sort of illnesses such as fibroids, growths and masses.”
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Moyo said people took heed of their call for women with these problems not to suffer in silence but seek medical attention.
“They have been coming to the hospital every week. The message we sent out that people should not suffer out there but seek medical attention has been heard and they are coming with their problems which we will try and solve,” Moyo said.
“There are two more who might get into surgery soon. Tests are being done on them before the operations can be done. Since the last cases, four have presented themselves and one has had the operation while others are yet to be operated.”
A doctor who conducted surgery on the women, Michael Chiwanga, said the tumours can grow on any part of the abdomen but there was need to attend to them quickly.
He said some tumours may become cancerous and they should be checked early to avoid the cancer spreading.
“Women with strange problems should have them checked early so that they can be treated early,” Chiwanga said. “Early detection is always the best, especially when it comes to cancer.”
Most women who have bulging bellies are often diagnosed with tumours, fibroids, cysts and other masses which can be found in the abdomen.
A tumour is any abnormal mass of tissue, which can form in any part of the body. It can be benign or cancerous.
A cyst is a sac that may be filled with air, fluid or other material and can form in any part of the body, including bones, organs and soft tissues. Most cysts are non-cancerous.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumours that originate in the uterus. It is not known exactly why women develop uterine fibroids, but most women that have them show no symptoms. However, fibroids have a number of symptoms depending on their size, location within the uterus, and how close they are to adjacent pelvic organs. These are most commonly cause abnormal bleeding, pain and pressure.
