News / Local
Girl attempts suicide after misdiagnosis
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A 14-year-old girl from Chitungwiza allegedly attempted suicide after being arrested on charges of abortion, following what has since been confirmed as a misdiagnosis by Citimed Chitungwiza Hospital.
The ordeal has also seen her father, Mavuto Chiocha (42), convicted by the Chitungwiza magistrates' court for allegedly assaulting Citimed chief executive officer Thomas Goche — a charge he denies, insisting it was a cover-up to silence him from pursuing legal action against the hospital.
Court records show that on January 14, 2025, the teenager was diagnosed with a heart problem at Citimed after complaining of chest pains. Three days later, a full blood count revealed she was anemic, but an abdominal scan shockingly indicated she was nine months pregnant.
Despite her parents questioning the results — as she showed no physical signs of pregnancy — doctors claimed the absence of stomach fluid masked fetal movement. The family later sought a second opinion at the Family Support Clinic, which recommended another scan. On January 21, the girl had her menstrual period, further discrediting the initial diagnosis.
Subsequent examinations by a team of doctors, including a referral to the chief gynecologist, confirmed that she suffered from adenomyosis, a rare gynecological condition — not pregnancy.
Events took a darker turn when the girl was arrested on January 17 for alleged abortion, reportedly on Citimed's instructions. She was later re-arrested on January 27 by police, even as fresh medical evidence ruled out any possibility of abortion.
Her father claimed that Citimed management and police officers, including Inspector Mutumbu and Chief Superintendent Muguti, intimidated the family to prevent them from challenging the hospital.
Chiocha's troubles escalated when he confronted hospital officials over the wrongful diagnosis and arrest of his daughter. Goche later accused him of physically assaulting him, an allegation Chiocha flatly denied.
"I never assaulted him. As a professional, I would not stoop that low. This is just a cover-up. The Health Services Board is investigating this matter," Chiocha told the court.
The hospital CEO's claims were backed by four witnesses, including Inspector Mutumbu and a doctor linked to both Chitungwiza and Citimed hospitals. Based on their testimony, the court convicted Chiocha and sentenced him to 420 hours of community service.
Chiocha has since appealed both the conviction and the sentence. Meanwhile, the Health Services Board is reportedly investigating Citimed's conduct in the case.
The traumatic episode drove the girl to attempt suicide, highlighting both the human cost of medical misdiagnosis and the troubling intersections of health care, law enforcement and justice in Zimbabwe.
The ordeal has also seen her father, Mavuto Chiocha (42), convicted by the Chitungwiza magistrates' court for allegedly assaulting Citimed chief executive officer Thomas Goche — a charge he denies, insisting it was a cover-up to silence him from pursuing legal action against the hospital.
Court records show that on January 14, 2025, the teenager was diagnosed with a heart problem at Citimed after complaining of chest pains. Three days later, a full blood count revealed she was anemic, but an abdominal scan shockingly indicated she was nine months pregnant.
Despite her parents questioning the results — as she showed no physical signs of pregnancy — doctors claimed the absence of stomach fluid masked fetal movement. The family later sought a second opinion at the Family Support Clinic, which recommended another scan. On January 21, the girl had her menstrual period, further discrediting the initial diagnosis.
Subsequent examinations by a team of doctors, including a referral to the chief gynecologist, confirmed that she suffered from adenomyosis, a rare gynecological condition — not pregnancy.
Events took a darker turn when the girl was arrested on January 17 for alleged abortion, reportedly on Citimed's instructions. She was later re-arrested on January 27 by police, even as fresh medical evidence ruled out any possibility of abortion.
Chiocha's troubles escalated when he confronted hospital officials over the wrongful diagnosis and arrest of his daughter. Goche later accused him of physically assaulting him, an allegation Chiocha flatly denied.
"I never assaulted him. As a professional, I would not stoop that low. This is just a cover-up. The Health Services Board is investigating this matter," Chiocha told the court.
The hospital CEO's claims were backed by four witnesses, including Inspector Mutumbu and a doctor linked to both Chitungwiza and Citimed hospitals. Based on their testimony, the court convicted Chiocha and sentenced him to 420 hours of community service.
Chiocha has since appealed both the conviction and the sentence. Meanwhile, the Health Services Board is reportedly investigating Citimed's conduct in the case.
The traumatic episode drove the girl to attempt suicide, highlighting both the human cost of medical misdiagnosis and the troubling intersections of health care, law enforcement and justice in Zimbabwe.
Source - The Standard
