Implant robbery hits Ezulwini, women’s arms cut open

THE uptake of contraceptive implants might be headed for a decline in Eswatini as criminals target women who have them.

Several women in Ezulwini have come out to report being robbed by thugs better known as ‘Ema Benjamin’ or ‘emaphara’. The said thugs are alleged cut open the woman’s arm and forcefully remove the implant.

According to the Cleveland Clinic website, a contraceptive implant (birth control implant) is a small, flexible rod-like device that your provider inserts under your skin in your inner, upper arm. It releases a steady dose of the hormone progestin into your bloodstream to prevent pregnancy for three years.

Two women who were interviewed by the Eswatini Sunday revealed that they had their implants removed in the thick of the night by angry and intoxicated men.

“I was walking back home from work; I had turned a corner when three rowdy men approached me. I could not run but only scream when they asked me if ‘ngiyahlela’,” narrated one of the women.

Upon affirming the question by myrmidons, the woman’s arm was open and the implant removed.

Twisting knife

the cut

“There was a lot of blood, they kept turning and twisting the knife inside my arm until the implant came out. They did not take anything else. My phone was used as a torch light for them,” narrated one of the victims.

Of those who shared personal experiences about the implant robbery, two females reported being physically present during another attempted implant robbery, and one healthcare provider described two cases of their patients personally presenting cuts on their arms due to either attempted or successful implant robbery.

Ciara, a witness said, “My friend had hers (implant) removed whilst she was walking with me”. The robbers first sent a female informant to palpate her friend’s arm to see if she had the implant. The informant then told the robbers, who came and successfully removed the implant.

Meanwhile *Lira said she had personally been a victim of attempted implant robbery herself. When the robber asked if she had the implant because he wanted it for smoking, she pretended not to have it.

“The robber pressed my arm trying to find where the implant was located but fortunately, my arm is fleshy and he did not feel anything and was unsuccessful in his attempt to remove it,” said the woman.

A female nurse at Mbabane Government Hospital speaking on condition of anonymity remembered seeing a patient at the hospital who said they had tried to palpate and remove her implant, but she was able to run away before they took it out. The patient requested that the nurse remove the implant because of this experience.

“We do get cases like the one mentioned. In February, we treated three women who had been forcefully removed their implants. Others come enquiring about removing them since the ‘implant robbery’ is hot news,” said the nurse.

While there are mixed views about whether the narratives are true, there has been consensus about the narratives having an actual impact on people’s decisions to use contraceptive implants.

This was explained by practicing Doctor Ephraim Nkambule based in the Lubombo region who said side effects and inadequate health provider training might be cited as primary contributors underlying a poor community perception of implants.

True thing

Magagula said implant robbery is a true thing that he gets to see and treat maybe once or twice a month. He further mentioned that there has not been proof that the etonogestrel contained in the implant is addictive or could be passed off as a drug.

In addition, Dr Magagula said regardless of whether the implant robbery narratives are true, myth, or a hybrid of truth and myth, there was consensus among the victims that they are influencing community perceptions of contraceptive implants, at least on a local level in Ezulwini.

These narratives highlight several areas to reflect on to improve the implementation of current implants and future technologies. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Nosipho Mnguni said although they have received a few robbery cases, they had not seen an ‘implant robbery’ case.

She further warned women to be careful, especially now during winter times when the sun sets earlier, and it is darker. A drug counsellor affiliated with the Department of Social Development in South Africa spoke to the publication and said there was a scourge of implant robbery in South Africa and some men were already behind bars.

Martha Lings said in the past year, women had been knifed and robbed of their implants, and targeted outside clinics. She further said they made the shocking discovery in 2016 during a fourday substance abuse and gender violence workshop at the Solomon Tsuu Hall in Site C, Khayelitsha.

“Everyone knows about the deadly drugs, tik and heroin. But each time we have these workshops, we are hearing of new methods and new cocktails that addicts are making,” she explained. “Drug addicts are moving from using flat-screen televisions to using these implanted contraceptives,” she said.