By Michael Gwarisa
At just 28, in 2017, Daily News journalist Sharon Muguwu succumbed to leukemia. I remember meeting Sharon back in 2016. Despite her frail frame and tired eyes, she still spoke softly but with courage. “Ndanga ndichirwara Mike,” she said when I asked about her health. Not long after that conversation, heartbreaking news of her passing spread across the media fraternity, leaving us shattered. Even today, the pain lingers.
Eight years after Sharon’s death, Zimbabwe’s media industry continues to lose some of its brightest talents to the same relentless disease. Cancer has become an unspoken predator within newsroom walls, a silent killer claiming the lives of journalists who spend their careers telling everyone else’s stories but rarely their own.
Before Sharon, the list of losses was already long. The industry has mourned Lucy Yasin, a warm and nurturing mentor who passed away in 2024; Tinotenda Butu, who also lost her battle with cancer this year; Grace Mutandwa, who died in 2020; Christine Taruvinga; and Caroline Gombakomba. We also remember Madeline Dube, a former ZBC Radio journalist and National AIDS Council Communications Director, who passed away in 2025. These names represent more than memories. They symbolise a growing health crisis among Zimbabwean female journalists.
Men too have not been spared. In 2025, the country mourned veteran journalist Geoffrey Nyarota, who died of cancer, following in the footsteps of media pioneer Bornwell Chakaodza and several others. Simbarashe Rushwaya, an accomplished sports journalist, also succumbed to the same disease. May all their souls rest in eternal peace.
A Growing National Crisis
According to the 2019 Zimbabwe Cancer Registry, the most common cancers across all races were cervical (22%), prostate (11%), breast (8%), oesophageal (5%), and colorectal (4%) cancers, with other types making up 36% of reported cases. Among black men, prostate cancer was the leading type (28.4%), followed by oesophageal (8.3%), Kaposi sarcoma (6%), stomach (5.5%), and liver (5.4%) cancers. For black women, cervical cancer dominated at 40.8%, followed by breast (13%), oesophagus (4%), stomach (3.1%), and ovarian (2.6%) cancers.
Overall, cervical and prostate cancers remain Zimbabwe’s top cancer burdens, disproportionately affecting women and men respectively.
The survival rate, however, paints a grim picture. According to data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Zimbabwe recorded 17,725 new cancer cases and 11,739 deaths in 2022. This translates to a mortality rate of roughly 66%, meaning two out of every three people diagnosed with cancer die from it. The implied survival rate is only 34%, far below global averages that typically exceed 60% in high-income countries. The same report shows 37,913 five-year prevalent cases, suggesting that while more people are living with cancer, many continue to face barriers to timely treatment and care.
Delayed Diagnosis
Several factors contribute to the high cancer burden in Zimbabwe’s newsrooms. Like ordinary citizens, journalists face severe socio-economic challenges. Timely diagnosis remains a major obstacle, worsened by the absence of workplace medical support systems.
The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ) has repeatedly pointed out that the biggest challenge in fighting cancer is late detection. Journalists, just like the general population, often lack access to formal medical screening programs or occupational health services. Without regular check-ups, symptoms are either ignored or noticed too late, leading to diagnoses at advanced stages when treatment options are limited and survival chances are low.
Lack of Affordable Health Insurance
Medical aid coverage in Zimbabwe has dropped from about 10% to around 8%, meaning only a small fraction of citizens are covered by any form of health insurance. While some journalists belong to medical aid societies, declining working conditions in media houses threaten the continuity of these services. Many can no longer afford monthly premiums, let alone treatment costs when illness strikes.
Even those who are covered face the challenge of shortfalls between what insurance pays and the actual cost of care. As a result, very few journalists have the resources to undergo regular screening.
Cervical cancer screening remains free in most public institutions, mainly due to donor support. However, the future of these services is uncertain following funding cuts for key health programs. Screenings for other cancers such as breast, ovarian, uterine, and prostate still require out-of-pocket payments, placing them beyond reach for many.
The government has been working on plans to operationalise a National Health Insurance Scheme, which could help extend healthcare coverage to all citizens. However, implementation has been slow, and for now, the burden remains on individuals.
Exorbitant Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment in Zimbabwe is prohibitively expensive. Speaking to HealthTimes, CAZ Information, Research and Evaluation Officer Lovemore Makurirofa said,
The majority of cancer patients we see at CAZ come to us but if they cannot afford diagnostic costs, they go home and die before being diagnosed. They are not captured in the health system.”
He added that chemotherapy and other cancer medications are often sold in United States dollars in private pharmacies, at prices far beyond the reach of ordinary patients. Many are prescribed pain medication that they also cannot afford.
Strained Oncology Infrastructure
Zimbabwe’s oncology infrastructure remains severely limited. Cancer patients from across the country depend on the few functional radiotherapy machines at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare and at one centre in Bulawayo. These facilities are overwhelmed, leading to long waiting times that further compromise treatment outcomes.
This is not unique to Zimbabwe. In a recent interview, French oncologist Professor David Khayat told this publication that Africa as a whole is not prepared for the coming cancer epidemic. The continent faces shortages in cancer specialists, diagnostic equipment, and palliative care services.
October: A Reminder and a Call to Action
October is globally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as Pink October. Throughout this period, several organisations, including Population Solutions for Health (PSH), offer free breast cancer screening at their clinics. Female journalists are encouraged to take advantage of these services.
It is also important to note that men can get breast cancer too. Therefore, everyone in the media industry should take part in such campaigns. Awareness alone is not enough because action through screening saves lives.
A Shared Responsibility
Media houses have both the opportunity and responsibility to support cancer screening initiatives, especially during awareness months. By promoting such programs and encouraging staff participation, they can play a crucial role in saving lives.
Establishing regular occupational health checks and cancer screening programs within media organisations could significantly improve health outcomes for journalists who often prioritise deadlines over doctor’s appointments.
Conclusion
Cancer remains a silent crisis in Zimbabwe’s journalism sector. The deaths of talented female and male journalists are a reminder that health must take priority over work pressures and tight deadlines. Early detection and access to care are the only proven ways to beat cancer. Journalists who dedicate their lives to informing the public must now become advocates for their own health. Regular screening is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. Media houses, government, and partners must work together to make cancer screening and treatment accessible and affordable for all. Only through awareness, early detection, and solidarity can Zimbabwe’s newsrooms stop losing their brightest voices to cancer. As you finish reading this article, I hope you take it upon yourself to take the first step and get screened. Early cancer detection could save you.
