HARARE
–
At
least
10
miners
are
dying
of
silicosis
every
month
in
Kwekwe,
opposition
legislator
Judith
Tobaiwa
told
parliament,
raising
alarm
over
the
growing
health
crisis
in
the
country’s
mining
sector.
Silicosis,
an
incurable
lung
disease
caused
by
prolonged
inhalation
of
silica
dust,
has
become
a
silent
killer
among
artisanal
and
small-scale
miners.
According
to
recent
statistics,
about
19
percent
of
Zimbabwe’s
miners
are
living
with
the
condition,
which
makes
them
more
vulnerable
to
respiratory
failure
and
diseases
such
as
tuberculosis.
Tobaiwa,
the
Kwekwe
Central
MP,
told
lawmakers
last
Thursday
that
the
death
toll
in
her
constituency
was
particularly
shocking.
“This
is
happening
across
the
country,
but
I
have
witnessed
death
in
my
constituency.
Hospital
authorities
are
confirming
that
about
10
people
die
from
silicosis
every
month.
Just
two
days
ago
we
lost
five
people
to
the
disease,”
she
said.
The
legislator
blamed
Chinese-owned
mining
companies
for
exposing
workers
to
dangerous
conditions
without
basic
protective
wear.
“Young
people
are
being
exposed
to
health
hazards,
particularly
silicosis.
The
majority
of
the
mining
companies,
especially
those
run
by
Chinese
nationals,
are
not
providing
employees
with
adequate
protective
safety
wear,
and
their
workers
end
up
contracting
silicosis,”
Tobaiwa
charged.
She
urged
the
minister
of
mines
to
issue
a
statement
in
parliament
outlining
government
measures
to
enforce
safer
working
conditions.