VICE PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has revealed he was suffering from a disease of the oesophagus which took him to China where he was hospitalised for four months.
The VP, who says he has fully recovered from his ailment, was addressing congregants at a homecoming Roman Catholic Church mass held for him at his rural home in Wedza.“I was telling colleagues that I spent close to six months without seeing the sun. I only saw it this last Saturday upon returning home,” he was said to have told his church.
“I want to thank you all for your prayers. Those prayers made me to survive. “Since I started falling sick in October last year, there were not many who thought I would heal completely. There were not many who thought I would be standing before you like this.“The sickness is called idiopathic oesophageal stricture. It means that you cannot take in food and also you cannot even vomit. It involves blocking of the oesophagus and I spent a lot of time in the intensive care unit.”
The VP was in July this year flown to China to receive advanced treatment over his ailment. Before his China trip, he had been to South Africa and India to seek treatment.His ailment fuelled speculation he had been poisoned by political enemies.
People with esophageal cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with esophageal cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.
Difficulty and pain with swallowing, particularly when eating meat, bread, or raw vegetables. As the tumor grows, it can block the pathway to the stomach. Even liquid may be painful to swallow.
Pressure or burning in the chest
Indigestion or heartburn
Vomiting
Frequent choking on food
Unexplained weight loss
Coughing or hoarseness
Pain behind the breastbone or in the throat
If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your health care team. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis. If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. This may be called palliative care or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
