02/10/2025
First time teenager mother and baby die in maternal complications at Mabvuku Apostolic Sect midwives’ shrine
By Sandra Matendere
A 19-year-old girl, Precious Mandiyanike, died during childbirth at an apostolic sect homestead in Mabvuku last week, raising fresh concerns over the dangers of unregulated religious birthing practices and the ongoing concerns on women's access to sexual and reproductive health rights and quality maternal health care in Zimbabwe.
Mandiyanike who was a first time mother, undergoing her inaugural childbirth experience, reportedly went into labor while at the shrine of a popular apostolic sect, where she was being attended to by church “midwives”, women with no formal medical training. According to family members, she suffered a cervical tear during delivery and bled to death before she could be taken to the hospital.
"She was in pain for hours, but they kept praying instead of calling for help. By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late," said a relative who asked not to be named.
“She didn’t have to die like this,” said her grieving aunt Mutsa Mandiyanike. “She was full of life and now she is gone because she didn’t get the much needed help.”
According to family members her husband, Vincent Chishaka, is the one who accompanied her to the apostolic sect’s midwives and left her there. It is said that on his returned, he found his wife powerless as a result of loss of blood and the midwives surrounding the baby. When he approached the midwives, he was told that his wife will be alright. When he returned to check on her, he found Precious already dead.
Medical experts say cervical tears lacerations of the cervix that can occur during childbirth are treatable in a hospital setting. However, without timely surgical intervention and access to blood transfusion, such injuries can quickly become fatal.
Precious’ death has reignited calls from health activists and women’s rights groups for stricter regulation of faith-based birth practices. Apostolic sects, which reject modern medicine in favor of spiritual healing, are widespread across Zimbabwe and are often involved in childbirth, particularly in rural and impoverished areas.
In many parts of Zimbabwe, especially in rural and peri-urban areas, a quiet tragedy unfolds every day one that is cloaked in white veils, hidden behind religious doctrine, and buried with prayers instead of justice. Women are dying while giving birth not because the health system lacks resources, but because some are denied access to it altogether due to their religious beliefs.
The growing influence of apostolic sects, particularly conservative groups within these movements, has created a shadow health system where faith is prioritized over medicine, and scripture is weaponized against science. While freedom of religion is a constitutional right, when that freedom endangers lives particularly the lives of pregnant women it becomes a public health crisis.
In many apostolic sects, women are not allowed to seek maternal health care from hospitals or clinics. Instead, childbirth takes place at shrines, in homes, or in open spaces, under the supervision of spiritual leaders most of whom have no medical background. Complications such as prolonged labor, breech presentations, hemorrhaging go unrecognized and untreated. This result in women dying in agony, and often, so do their newborns.
Some apostolic doctrines often forbid blood transfusion, Caesarean sections, or any form of surgical intervention all of which are critical in managing complicated deliveries. The sects’ patriarchal structure worsens the situation. Women are discouraged or outright forbidden from making decisions about their own health. A husband, male relative, or church elder must give consent, and often, such consent is withheld under the guise of spiritual obedience. This silencing of women's voices extends even after death. Maternal deaths are not reported. Burials are done quietly, away from the scrutiny of health officials. No statistics, no investigations, just another life lost, hidden behind religious piety.
This is the sad story of Precuious Mandiyanike who died whilst giving birth at an apostolic sect homestead in Mabvuku. This place was not a hospital or clinic, no medical equipment, just prayer and faith. Precious endured the labour pain for long hours whilst at the shrine. She later delivered the baby unfortunately it died during the process. Precious lost a lot of blood, they prayed for her as she was bleeding heavily. Minutes later, she died too due to severe pain.
Speaking on behalf of the family Mr. Joseph Mandiyanike, said they are extremely heartbroken by the sudden death of Precious who lost her life while giving birth at a home belonging to an apostolic midwife in Mabvuku, something which could have been avoided if she was attended by health professionals at a hospital or clinic.
“Precious lost a lot of blood during the process. The postmortem results revealed that she died of excessive bleeding. She will be buried at Mandiyanike Village in Mutasa Manicaland during the weekend,” said Mr. Mandiyanike who could not hide his anger at the apostolic sect.
Maternal mortality is not merely a private issue — it’s a national concern. Every death of a mother sends ripples through families and communities. Children are orphaned, households destabilized, and poverty deepens. The situation also poses a legal dilemma. Zimbabwe's laws prohibit harmful traditional practices and child marriages, yet enforcement in apostolic communities remains weak. Religious leaders often hold more authority than the law itself, creating enclaves of impunity.
Maternal mortality is preventable by adhering to health standards.
St Mary's chitungwiza RC Diocese of Mutare Soccom Chinhoyi Diocese Social Communications Cathedral of the Sacred Heart - Harare St. Mary's Catholic Church Soccom Archdiocese of Harare Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Bulawayo Zimbabwe St Francis Xavier Parish, Dete, Zimbabwe Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos LCBL Sisters in Zimbabwe Holy Spirit parish -SPIRITANS-Archidiocese of Lusaka ST JAMES Parish Chipinge Caritas Zimbabwe Harare St Simon Stock Parish Rusape Moyo Musande Parish Chinhoyi Diocese Soccom- All Souls Parish- Binga Carmelite Friars In Zimbabwe St Josephine Bakhita Mission Vic Falls Handmaids of Our Lady of Mt Carmel - Carmelite Sisters Women's Prosperity Group
