Health risk management framework for heavy metals and cyanide in Kwekwe city of Zimbabwe: a mixed-method study protocol.

"Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participateThe study would be conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved was approved by the University of Venda Ethics Committee under registration number FHS/22/PH/05/2306 on 22 June 2022 and Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe under approval number MRCZ/A/2944 on 6 October 2022. Informed consent would be obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Permission would be sought from the participating health facilities where healthcare workers would be interviewed. Consent for publicationNot applicable. Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests."

"Funding The research would be funded by the Kwekwe City Council under the Staff Development Support Program. The funder's role is to support the principal researcher by providing resources for the successful completion of the proposed project. The University of Venda, through the Department Public of Public Health, would fund the publication of this study protocol."

"Methods: The convergent parallel mixed-method study design will be utilised. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected, analysed, and merged in order to inform the development of the risk framework. An analytical cross-sectional survey would be used to determine levels of heavy metals in surface water, soil, and vegetables. Free cyanide will be determined in surface water samples only. The phenomenological qualitative inquiry will be used to investigate health events and risks associated with potentially toxic pollutants (heavy metals and cyanide) to describe or interpret participants' lived experiences. The qualitative and quantitative results will be used to develop and validate the framework to manage identified health risks. For data analysis, statistical analysis will be used in the quantitative study, while thematic analysis will be used in the qualitative study. The study was approved by the University of Venda Ethics Committee (Registration Number FHS/22/PH/05/2306) and the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (Approval Number MRCZ/A/2944). All ethical principles will be adhered to throughout the study in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Declarations: Ethics approval and consent to participateThe study would be conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved was approved by the University of Venda Ethics Committee under registration number FHS/22/PH/05/2306 on 22 June 2022 and Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe under approval number MRCZ/A/2944 on 6 October 2022. Informed consent would be obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Permission would be sought from the participating health facilities where healthcare workers would be interviewed.: Consent for publicationNot applicable.: Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study would be conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved was approved by the University of Venda Ethics Committee under registration number FHS/22/PH/05/2306 on 22 June 2022 and Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe under approval number MRCZ/A/2944 on 6 October 2022. Informed consent would be obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Permission would be sought from the participating health facilities where healthcare workers would be interviewed."