By Farai Chikore

INCONSISTENT taking of medication for patients with hypertension chronic condition can be
complex and might end up requiring more co-ordination than the average uptake.
Increasing care management and taking of prescribed medication for such a disease is
imperative.
A survey conducted by Telegraph show those patients, who took medication consistently
suffered less than those who seem to be erratic in managing their medication.
In an interview Irene Mutema, said she took her tablets as prescribed by a medical practitioner,
something which is vital for her to control hypertension, popularly known as BP
“Ndakaona kuti kungoita zvandakaudzwa pakutanga is the best. Ndinoshandisa kaya katablet
kokuisa pasi porurimi pose pandinoona kuti pane zvachinja muhealth system yangu. Ndaichekwa
BP makuseni nemamnheru ndikatombodzi mauya nani BP yenyu yakakwirisa, any time
munodonha. Ipapo ndaisazvitora serious ndaingoti matablets haashandi. Since then,
ndakungoshandisa ikako kekuisa pasi perurimi” said Mutema
Another hypertension patient, Barbra Dzinzi, said she started controlling this condition with
medication some 10 years ago.
“I started taking these BP tablets way back about 10 years ago. I always monitor my way of life,
some say BP is triggered by anger or stress but for me I can say one need to accept the reality
and follow advice from doctors,” said Dzinzi.
We talked to about five elderly people but they declined identification although all had
hypertension and other chronic conditions which they said were being controlled by prescribed
medication.
A medical practitioner, who preferred anonymity, said he could not comment on herbs but what
he knew was that anything without dosage could be toxic.
He only advised patients to get advice from trained personnel or certified institutions.
Due to growing concern for those suffering from hypertension, the Ministry of Health and Child
Care sought out ways to change the current landscape for Zimbabweans.
Innovations in healthcare were improving the lives of those with chronic diseases, while helping
to prevent those conditions which are preventable. 

Patient-centered care models have also been adopted, encouraging more comprehensive chronic
disease management and a focus on preventative care.
These patient-centered care programmes can educate, provide care co-ordination, and give
patients tools to contact the right persons when help is needed.