By Michael Gwarisa
Could it be another version of E-Creator or any of those Ponzi schemes that have hogged the headlines in the past? Zimbabwe is witnessing a surge in Multi-level Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing companies offering “Free Body Scan” services to convince unsuspecting and desperate health-seeking citizens to buy their herbal products.
The collapse of the healthcare sector over the years largely characterised by massive skills flight, shortage of commodities and poor working and living standards for healthcare workers, has left citizens with no option but to seek healthcare services outside the conventional healthcare system. As a result, Network Marketing companies selling herbal products have mushroomed across all major cities to make a quick buck at the expense of desperate poor citizens who cant afford private healthcare services.
An investigation conducted by this publication shows that two Multi-Level Marketing companies, Greenlife Health Care and Blissful Botanical Health are at the centre of the chaos on the streets of Harare where representatives from the companies stand on street pavements touting Free Body scan services. A visit by this publication to the premises of the two companies shows that the age groups most susceptible to chronic ailments especially the elderly and women, constitute the majority of the customers seeking services with the companies.
The Quantum Analyser
During the investigation, this reporter agreed to get scanned and on two separate occasions was accompanied by touts from both the Greenlife and Blissful Health organisations to their premises. Both organisations have makeshift rooms they have set aside for conducting scanning purposes.
They both use small gadgets known as Quantum Analysers or Quantum Resonance Magnetic Body Bio Health analyser Machines to detect the presence of diseases, toxins and other underlying health conditions. The gadgets come in different shapes. The one at Greenlife takes the shape of a flying saucer while the one at Blissful looks like a small lever gear.
The Quantum Analyser gadget is not invasive and requires one to sit and hold a magnetic device in their hand or place their hand on the gadget for about 60 seconds while it scans the body. According to the attendant at Blissful Botanical, the Quantum analyser applies advanced electronic equipment to collect the weak magnetic field of human cells for scientific analysis, thereby analysing and determining the tested person’s health status and main problems.
The gadget is believed to scan and test over 30 health conditions ranging from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, bone mineral density, trace elements, blood lead, rheumatism, lung and respiratory tract, nephropathy, blood sugar, stomach and intestines, liver and gall, cranial nerves, gynaecology, prostate and or bone disease. The quantum analyser is also believed to detect health changes before obvious symptoms and signs of disease appear.
Fear as the Modus Operandi for Free Body Scan service providers
In both organisations, Greenlife Health Care and Blissful Botanical Health, the gadget is connected to Lap tops and feeds the data it collects from the body into the machine.
“This is a quantum analyser,” says a male attendant at Blissful Botanical. “It is 98% accurate. It doesn’t use radiation but it reads your body cells by simply placing your hand over this analyser. It reflects on the computer and shows all abnormalities and areas that might need attention.”
Three of our guys also went for scanning a few minutes apart and they were all given almost identical results. All three had either weak or low sperm production, the prostate was accumulating toxins or they were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. The feedback for male clients mainly revolves around their sexual reproductive health system the prostate and erectile dysfunction and automatically pushes them to buy capsules to avert future problems.
At the end of the scan and feedback, one is now requested to visit the dispensary to purchase the herbal medicines that would have been prescribed. Both companies have fully stocked dispensaries for herbal medicines. On any given day, there is a discount and they make it sound like it’s your lucky day. Should you fall for the trick, you will part with not less than US$60 purchasing the herbal capsules.
What does the Science Say?
However, the Quantum resonance magnetic analyser is not recognized by most qualified doctors for a few key reasons which include the lack of scientific evidence as the claims made about the diagnostic capabilities of quantum resonance magnetic analysers have not been substantiated by rigorous scientific studies and clinical trials. The scientific community requires robust, peer-reviewed evidence demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of such devices before accepting them as valid medical diagnostic tools.
Moreover, the unproven methodology has been questioned since the underlying principles and mechanisms behind quantum resonance magnetic analysis are not well-established or understood within the conventional medical framework. The scientific basis for how these devices are purported to detect and analyse health conditions is not firmly grounded in accepted medical and biological theories.
While the laws in Zimbabwe recognise homoeopathy and the dispensing of herbal remedies to treat health conductions, the healthcare sector is up in arms against the organisations for hiding behind free body scan services to fleece poor citizens.
In an interview with HealthTimes, Digital Health Expert, Dr Marlon Nyakabau said the Free Body Scan craze was a scam and the government needs to move swiftly to stop the daylight robbery of innocent citizens.
“When people are sick, particularly with chronic disease like cancer or kidney disease, they are in a vulnerable state. These unregistered clinics then exploit that vulnerability taking away people’s hard-earned money and selling unproven treatments. They scare people by giving them all sorts of fake diagnoses to coerce them to buy their fake medicines for hundreds of dollars. This lawlessness must not be allowed to prevail,” said Dr Nyakabau.
He added that Doctors and other health professionals work under strict rules and regulations put in place to protect vulnerable patients.
“Unfortunately, these unregistered clinics sprouting all over, seem to be a law unto themselves. There is a need for concerted efforts to restore order and protect the public from those that shamelessly seek to exploit them at their points of vulnerability.”
What Do Regulators In Zimbabwe Say?
Through our investigations, however, the organisations offering Free Body Scan services are registered under the Traditional Medicines and Practitioners Council (TMPCZ) and this certification gives them some form of immunity whenever authorities question their operations. Even the recently installed Natural Therapists Council of Zimbabwe (NTCZ) are struggling to reign the operators.
“We have been complaining about it and even HPA knows it. Because some of those practitioners are in the street, unfortunately, they got licenses. They’ve been licensed by the Traditional Medicines and Practitioners Council. You go there, you want to regulate, and they produce that certificate from TMPCZ. You can excuse me, I’m not trying to say TMPCZ are bad or what, but the regulation part of it and the screening part of it is poor,” said Dr George Danda, a Naturopathic Medicine Expert from the Natural Therapists Council of Zimbabwe during a media familiarisation meeting hosted by the Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe.
He further called on herbal and natural medicine practitioners to stay in their lane and offer services they are versed in.
