Traditional Midwife Delivers 50 Babies in Epworth — Armed Only with Bare Hands

In the heart of Epworth, where poverty and neglect collide, a traditional birth attendant has delivered over 50 babies using nothing but her bare hands, rusty drink cans, and scraps of cloth — as clinics turn away expectant mothers who cannot afford the cost of childbirth.

Tapiwa Vhinya, 34, known locally as “Ambuya Va52,” has become a lifeline for desperate women.

“I use empty drink cans to cut the umbilical cord and draw threads to tie the baby’s cord after cutting it.

“I have delivered most of these babies, touching blood with my bare hands as I do not have access to gloves,” she explained.

At Epworth Clinic, mothers are required to pay US$45 for a normal delivery and an additional US$40 for ambulance services if complications arise.

They must also bring their own delivery kits — including ten pairs of gloves, surgical blades, cord clamps, linen savers, cotton, and methylated spirit.

Without these, they are denied admission.

Mary David, 19, was one of many turned away.

“They wanted a lot of money that I did not have. I did not even have enough food to eat here at home, so hospital delivery was not an option,” she recalled

Beyond financial barriers, allegations of mistreatment and corruption have driven women away from formal healthcare.

Ruvimbo Nyakawuru, 27, shared her experience.

“If you do not pay the nurse a little something for a drink, even when you are in pain, they will ignore you.

“They told me, ‘If you do not want to pay, we do not care. The child is yours. If it dies, it’s your problem,’” she said.

Noster Chitiva, 49, noted that nurses often treat patients based on appearance and payment. “If you do not have the money, you suffer,” she said.

Some families now choose traditional midwives even when they can afford hospital care, citing better treatment and dignity.

Freddie Zenda, 46, explained why his family returned to Vhinya.

“For the second baby, we simply chose her because of the good care we had received the first time as compared to what we had to go through at the clinic during the birth of our first child.”

Transport is another major hurdle.

In emergencies, women in labour are often pushed in wheelbarrows for up to three kilometres to reach the clinic.

Samuel Chigwesa, a father of three, described how his wife gave birth in a wheelbarrow before they could leave for the hospital.

“Most people here cannot afford to hire a car, and they end up having to be carried to the hospital in a wheelbarrow, which can take up to an hour.

“Most of these women give birth before they even get to the hospital,” he said.

Home births are fraught with complications.

Vhinya recounted a case where a baby had died in the womb and was delivered in pieces.

“The child came out in pieces, it had long died inside and turned black in colour. It was a scary experience,” she said.

In another case, she delivered a baby in breech position, with one leg emerging first — a situation that typically requires a caesarean section.

“It was a very difficult childbirth, but we managed,” she added.

Even after delivery, mothers face hurdles in obtaining birth records for babies born at home.

“If you give birth at home, getting a birth record or baby card will be the worst nightmare. The officials will give you a difficult time,” said one Epworth resident.

Isheanesu Chirisa, National Director of Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA), urged the government to act.

“Strategies by the government should focus on removing financial barriers, improving health system accessibility, and investing in integrating traditional attendants with skilled healthcare,” she said.

Zimbabwe’s Constitution guarantees every citizen access to basic healthcare under Section 76, and special protection for children under Section 81.

As a signatory to international treaties such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the state is obligated to ensure equitable, non-discriminatory access to maternal health services.

The crisis unfolding in Epworth is not just a local tragedy — it is a national emergency.

Until systemic reforms are made, childbirth will remain a dangerous journey for Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable women.