In Pictures: Zimbabwe Vice President’s Ex-Wife Marry Mubaiwa’s Whole Arm Amputated

Zimbabwe Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa, had her right arm amputated on Friday at a private hospital.

The ailing Marry Mubaiwa has been critically ill for several months after she was diagnosed with acute lymphoedema. Several applications to seek treatment in South Africa were rejected by the courts.

Back in March, doctors advised Marry that her right arm should be amputated.

Beatrice Mtetwa, her lawyer, revealed that her doctors had recommended that her right hand be amputated above the elbow due to severe sepsis.

She had been battling lymphoedema, a condition caused by a blockage in the lymphatic system, part of the immune and circulatory systems. The illness left her arms and legs badly swollen with “wart-like” growth and extensive scarring.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.