The average life expectancy of a man in Zimbabwe is around 59 and that of a woman is 62. This places the country at the 156th position on the world life expectancy list.
The following are the leading causes of death in Zimbabwe:
HIV, an acronym for human immunodeficiency virus, primarily infects individuals between the ages of 20 and 40. HIV infection results in early symptoms of HIV in men such as fatigue, fever, and sore throat.
There may be no symptoms until the infection turns into AIDS, resulting in significant weight loss, fatigue, and frequent infections. HIV is one of the top causes of death in Zimbabwe.
Influenza and Pneumonia:
This is a viral infection that accounts for about 9 percent of the total deaths recorded in the country.
Prostate Cancer:
Zimbabwe ranks second in terms of the number of deaths due to prostate cancer in a year. Men with prostate cancer experience pain and difficulty urinating, but some men may experience no symptoms at all. Some forms of prostate cancer can be aggressive, while others are slow-growing.
- chemotherapy
- hormone therapy
- prostatectomy
- radiation therapy
Stroke: People who experience a stroke may experience numbness and paralysis in the face, arms, and legs. They also face difficulty in walking or standing upright and speaking and understanding things.
Cervical Cancer: Zimbabwe is the number one country in terms of the number of deaths due to cervical cancer. The disease kills more than 2,000 women in Zimbabwe every year. Cervical cancer is a malignant cancer of the cervix, which is the lowest part of the uterus. This cancer usually affects women over the age of 20 and can result in abnormal bleeding and lower back pain.
Tuberculosis: TB accounts for about 3 percent of total deaths in Zimbabwe in a year. It is a bacterial infection that spreads through coughing and sneezing. Initially, a person infected with TB bacteria does not show any symptoms. Treatment usually involves the long-term use of antibiotics and other medications.
Coronary heart disease: About 2,800 people die each year in Zimbabwe due to coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD results from a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which eventually obstructs the flow of blood through them. Thus, the narrowed blood vessels obstruct the flow of blood to the heart and the affected person may suffer a heart attack due to the same. Some of the treatment options for CHD include:
- Surgery
- angioplasty
- medicines
- Lifestyle changes (no fatty foods)
Hypertension: This is a common medical condition that causes the death of more than 2,000 patients in Zimbabwe every year. High blood pressure itself has no symptoms, however, if left untreated for a long time, it can lead to serious complications such as stroke, angina, and heart attack.
Breast Cancer: More than 800 women die every year in Zimbabwe due to breast cancer. Women with breast cancer may experience abnormal discharge from their nipples or a lump in their breast or armpit. In addition, the texture, shape and size of the breast changes over time in breast cancer patients. Mastectomy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy are common treatment options for breast cancer.
Colon cancer: Zimbabwe ranks fifteenth in terms of colon cancer deaths. A person who regularly smokes or consumes high-salt processed foods daily has an increased risk of colon cancer. Patients usually do not show any symptoms in the early stages. However, as colon cancer progresses, the following symptoms may appear:
- stomach irritation
- Indigestion
- swelling
- feeling of fullness
Liver disease: Liver disease kills more than 1,500 people in Zimbabwe each year. This includes all diseases that prevent the liver from working properly or damage it permanently or temporarily. Non-alcoholic fatty diseases, hepatitis A, B and C, alcoholic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis are some of the common liver diseases. Liver disease is treatable depending on the extent of the damage.
Epilepsy: Epilepsy is another cause that kills hundreds of people every year in Zimbabwe.Deep brain stimulation and surgery are some of the ways to control the occurrence of seizures.
Kidney disease: This category of disease kills more than 1,200 patients in the country. Kidney disease reduces the efficiency of kidney function. The kidney is a pair of organs that purify the blood and help eliminate waste and toxic products from the body
Lymphomas: More than 400 people die from lymphoma each year in Zimbabwe. This is a rare form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. The spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, and thymus are important components of the lymphatic system that help the human body fight infections and diseases. Weight loss, fatigue, and enlarged lymph nodes are some of the common symptoms of lymphoma. So these are the top ten causes of death in Zimbabwe.
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