BY EVERSON MUSHAVA
A PROMINENT Kadoma businessman has spoken of his near-death experience after he contracted Covid-19.
Jimayi Muduvuri said at some point he received telephone calls from some government ministers saying there were messages that were circulating claiming he had died.
Muduvuri last month spent 21 days on oxygen support at a Harare hospital and has described his recovery as a miracle.
“I was on oxygen for 21 days. I feel like I died and was resurrected by God,” Muduvuri said.
“Many people including government ministers called me, saying a message was going round that I had died.
“Most people from Kadoma also called. Imagine, my children always being told that their father was dead.
“I believe I died but God has an answer, that’s why I am alive today.”
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Muduvuri said he fell ill three days after returning from a function in Norton where he handed over 15 residential stands to musicians, who included sungura ace Nicholas “Madzibaba” Zakaria.
“It was end of June and I felt pain throughout my body,” he said.
“I thought I was suffering from malaria.
“Doctors would come to attend to me at home and one day, Dr (Johannes) Marisa said I needed a Covid-19 test, and took one that produced positive results.
“He said my condition had deteriorated and I needed to go to Harare and he called staff at his hospital to bring oxygen.
“We met the team in Norton and I was put on oxygen.
“He took me to his surgery and I was there for over a week until he came to me and told me that my demand for oxygen was too high and he was taking me to St Anne’s Hospital, where I was under the care of Dr (Tinashe) Gede.
“Those men, together with their nursing staff, played a huge role in my life. I don’t have words to thank them.
“I was at St Anne’s together with my wife, who was admitted in the same ward with Amai George (Angela Haritatos, Agriculture deputy minister Vangelis Haritatos’ late mother) who died last week.
“My wife is now fine and out of hospital.”
The Zanu PF-aligned businessman, who also leads a grouping of indigenous churches, the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Council of Churches, said he had gone through hell for the 21 days he was on oxygen.
“I was always monitoring my oxygen level, knowing that if it goes below 40 % saturation, I was gone,” he said.
“It was not a beautiful moment. I think I was also saved by people’s prayers.”
Muduvuri said what worsened his predicament was that he was not vaccinated.
“I went to hospital on March 28 to be vaccinated,” he added.
“I was told my blood pressure was too high and therefore it was risky for me to be jabbed.
“I went back on April 15 and my blood pressure was still high.”
Muduvuri said his experience had inspired him to contribute to the fight against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.
“I am now working on making sure the isolation centre I donated to government is functional,” he said.
“That is my calling now.
“I donated my building in Kadoma and handed the keys to Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Mary Mliswa, and since I came out of hospital, I am spending my time there to make sure it is functional and help save lives.
“I think that is the reason why I am still alive.”
Muduvuri, who has been traversing the country donating foodstuffs to disabled people, is funding the project using money from his Muduvuri Rehabilitation and Empowerment Foundation.
He urged people to respect World Health Organisation protocols to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“Covid-19 is real; people should put on masks, sanitise and practice social distancing,” he said.
“The virus kills. It is an appeal to you to respect regulations and stay safe.”
