Kutheni Izifo “Ezinyangekayo” Zibuya Nje?

IKHAYA belisandul’ ukucocwa ngokucokisekileyo. Noko ke, njengokuba iintsuku, iiveki neenyanga ziqengqeleka, ngokuthe ngcembe liphinda libe nothuli lize lingcole. Ngoko ke, ukucoca ngokucokisekileyo kube kanye, akwanele. Ukuqhubeka ucoca kuyimfuneko.

Kangangexesha elithile bekubonakala ngathi ezonyango zanamhlanje zisitshayele kwathi tu isifo seengcongconi, isifo sephepha negcushuwa. Kodwa amaxesha amaninzi zikutyeshele ukuqhubeka zicoca ngokwenza uphando nonyango. Ngoku “uthuli nokungcola” kubuyile. UGqr. Hiroshi Nakajima weWHO (World Health Organization [uMbutho Wehlabathi Wezempilo]) uthi: “Ehlabathini lonke, isifo seengcongconi sixhomis’ amehlo yaye siya sithath’ unyawo.” Ingcali yesifo sephepha uGqr. Lee Reichman ilumkisa isithi: “Abantu kufuneka baqonde ukuba isifo sephepha sibuyile—yaye sibuye ngamandla.” Yaye iThe New York Times yapapasha oku ebutsheni beli shumi leminyaka: “Ube mkhulu kakhulu umlinganiselo wabantu abanegcushuwa ukususela ngowe-1949.”

Isifo Seengcongconi—Sisongela Phantse Isiqingatha Sabantu Abasehlabathini

Ngoku, phantse kube yiminyaka engama-40 ukususela ekuvakalisweni kwaso njengesasisele siza kupheliswa, isifo seengcongconi sisisisongelo esiyingozi eAfghanistan, eBrazil, eCambodia, eIndia, eIndonesia, eSri Lanka, eThailand, eTshayina, eVietnam nakwiindawo ezahlukeneyo zaseAfrika. Iphephandaba laseFransi iLe Figaro linikela le ngxelo: “Mzuzu ngamnye abantwana ababini babulawa sisifo seengcongconi.” Bazizigidi ezibini abafa minyaka le—bangaphezulu lee kunabo babulawa nguGawulayo.

Basondele kwizigidi ezingama-270 abantu abanesifunxi-gazi (parasite) sesifo seengcongconi, kodwa abasisi-2,2 samawaka ezigidi kucingelwa ukuba basengozini yokwasulelwa siso. KwiNew Scientist uPhyllida Brown ubuza oku: “Kwenzeka njani ukuba isifo seengcongconi, esasiphelisiwe okanye esasithintelwa ngokubanzi kubemi behlabathi abangama-90 ekhulwini, ngoku sisongele abangaphezu kwama-40 ekhulwini kuthi?” Zininzi izizathu.

Ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi nokusekwa kwamathanga. Abantu abahlala kwimimandla eneengcongconi ezininzi enamahlathi emvula ngabo ababangele ukwanda kwesifo seengcongconi eBrazil. Ingcali ngokuthintelwa kwezifo uClaudio Ribeiro ithi: “Into eyasehlelayo kukuhlaselwa ngummandla weengcongconi.” Ithi, abantu abahlala kulo mmandla “babengenamava ngesifo seengcongconi yaye babengenandlela yakuzikhusela kwesi sifo.”

Imfuduko. Iimbacu ezisuka eMyanmar ezifuna umsebenzi zithontelana kwimigodi yamatye anqabileyo eBorai, idolophu encinane yaseThailand. INewsweek inikela le ngxelo: “Ukuba ngoonothwal’ impahlana kwazo kwenza isifo seengcongconi singathinteleki.” Nyanga nganye kunikelwa ingxelo yokuba abali-10 000 banesifo seengcongconi—kuphela phakathi kwabasebenzi-mgodini!

Ukhenketho. Abaninzi abatyelela imimandla ekugquba isifo seengcongconi kuyo babuyela emakhaya basulelekile. Ngaloo ndlela, ngowe-1991 eUnited States kufunyaniswe amaxhoba ali-1 000 nali-10 000 eYurophu. Nyaka ngamnye amakhulu abakhenkethi nabasebenzi bamazwe aphesheya babuyela eKhanada basulelekile. Kwenye imeko elusizi, abantwana ababini baba nomkhuhlane ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba intsapho ibuyile ivela eAfrika. Ugqirha akazange arhanele ukuba banesifo seengcongconi. IGlobe and Mail yaseToronto inikela ingxelo ethi: “Xa abazali babo babasa esibhedlele, babeshiywe lixesha. Omnye wafa emva kweeyure ezimbalwa omnye efile.”

Iintlobo zezifo zeengcongconi ezingancedwayo ngamayeza. IWHO inikela ingxelo yokuba iintlobo zezifo zeengcongconi ezingancedwayo ngamayeza zisasazeke kulo lonke eleenjiko eAfrika. INewsweek ithi eMzantsi-mpuma Asia, “ezi zifo zeengcongconi zingancedwayo ngamayeza zanda ngokukhawuleza kangangokuba kungekudala zimbi zazo zisenokunganyangeki.”

Ukungabikho kwezixhobo. Kwezinye iindawo iikliniki ezithile azinazixhobo zokwenza uxilongo olulula olwaziwa ngokuba yiblood smear. Kwezinye iindawo imali eninzi ebekelwe bucala yezonyango iye isetyenziselwe ezinye iimeko zongxamiseko, nto leyo ephumela ekunqongophaleni kwezibulala-zinambuzane namayeza. Maxa wambi ingxaki iba kukufuna ingeniso. INew Scientist ivuma ngelithi: “Akukho ngeniso kwizifo ezifumaneka kweleenjiko, kuba ngokubanzi abo bagula zizo abakwazi ukuthenga amayeza.”

Isifo Sephepha—Umbulali Omdala Obuye Enamaqhinga Amatsha

Ngowe-1947 kwaveliswa istreptomycin, iyeza elalibonakala linokusithintela isifo sephepha. Ngelo xesha, kwakucingwa ukuba isifo sephepha siya kupheliswa singaze siphinde sibekho. Kodwa ngephanyazo kuphawulwe ukuba kwamanye amazwe iimeko zimaxongo: kwiminyaka yakutshanje amanani abantu abanesifo sephepha antinge ngokuphawulekayo. IThe Washington Post inikela le ngxelo: “EMerika kwiindawo ekuxhaphake ubuhlwempu kuzo, amanani abantu abanesifo sephepha awodlula lee awawona mazwe ahlwempuzekileyo akumazantsi eSahara yaseAfrika.” ECôte d’Ivoire kukho oko omnye ulindixesha akubiza ngokuthi “kukubuya kwesifo sephepha singasenalusini.”

UGqr. Michael Iseman ukhalaza athi: “Besikwazi ukusinyanga. Besisibambile. Kodwa siphuncukile.” Yintoni le iphazamise umlo nxamnye nesifo sephepha?

UGawulayo. Ekubeni emshiya umntu engakhuselekanga ekwasulelweni zizifo, uGawulayo kucingwa ukuba ngunobangela oyintloko wokubuya kwesifo sephepha. UGqr. Iseman uthi: “Ukuba ababulawa yenye into kuqala, phantse bonke abaguli abanoGawulayo abanentsholongwane yesifo sephepha baya kuba naso.”

Imeko-bume. Iintolongo, amakhaya eembedlenge, iindawo zabantu abangenamakhaya, izibhedlele namanye amaziko asenokuba ziindawo esinokwanda kuzo isifo sephepha. UGqr. Marvin Pomerantz ubalisa ukuba ukusetyenziswa kwesifafazi esithile kunyango kwesinye isibhedlele kwandisa ukhohlokhohlo kubaguli abanesifo sokukrala kwemiphunga kwaza ngaloo ndlela kwabangela ukuba phantse bonke abasebenzi balapho basulelwe sisifo sephepha.

Ukungabikho kwezixhobo. Kwathi nje kwakuba kuphawulwe ukuba isifo sephepha siyathinteleka, kwanqongophala imali, yaye ingqalelo yabantu yaphelel’ emoyeni. UGqr. Lee Reichman uthi: “Kunokuba siphelise isifo sephepha, sisuke saphelisa iinkqubo zokulwa naso.” Ingcali ngemichiza yomzimba uPatrick Brennan ithi: “Ekuqaleni kwiminyaka yee-1960 ndandibila ndisoma ndiphanda ngeyeza elinokuthintela isifo sephepha kodwa ndagqiba kwelokuba ndingabi sazikhathaza ngaloo nto kuba ndicinga ukuba isifo sephepha sanyangwa.” Ngaloo ndlela, ukubuya kwesifo sephepha kubaqubule oogqirha abaninzi. Omnye ugqirha wathi: “Ebudeni beveki enye [ngokwindla lowe-1989], ndabona abaguli abatsha abanesifo umfundisi-ntsapho wam wezonyango awathi andinakuze ndiphinde ndisibone.”

Igcushuwa—Ukubuya Kwayo Okubulalayo

Phezu kwako nje ukusebenza kweepenisilini, igcushuwa isagqugqisa eAfrika. EUnited States, ibuye ngamandla emva kweminyaka engama-40. Ngokutsho kweThe New York Times, ngoku igcushuwa “ibaphek’ ibophula oogqirha abangaqhelananga nayo, ukuba phofu, bakha bayibona kwaukuyibona.” Kutheni ibuya nje?

Icrack. Ukukhotyokiswa yicrack kuhambisela phambili oko omnye ugqirha akubiza ngokuthi “lukhuphiswano lokusetyenziswa kwecocaine nesini.” Ngoxa ngokufuthi amadoda esiba ukuze axhase lo mkhwa wawo, amabhinqa kunokwenzeka ukuba athengisa ngesini ukuze afumane iziyobisi. UGqr. Willard Cates, Omnci., weZiko Lokuthintela Izifo LaseUnited States uthi: “Kwiindawo ezithengisa icrack abantu baba neentlobano zesini nabantu abaninzi abahlukeneyo. Nasiphi na isifo esesameleyo kuloo mimandla siya kudluliselwa nakwabanye.”

Ukungayithinteli. IDiscover inikela le ngxelo: “Phezu kwayo nje imigudu ‘yesini esikhuselekileyo,’ abakwishumi elivisayo abakayingeni ncam into yokusebenzisa iicondom ngenjongo yokuzikhusela kwizifo.” Uhlolisiso olwenziwe eUnited States lutyhile ukuba kuphela bali-12,6 ekhulwini abasebenzisa iicondom kwabo baba neentlobano zesini nabantu abanesi sifo.

Ukuba nezixhobo ezinganelanga. IThe New York Times ithi: “Ukunqongophala kwemali kwenze iikliniki zikawonke wonke ezinyanga ngokuyintloko igcushuwa nezinye izifo ezidluliselwa ngeentlobano zesini azabi namali yokwenza oko.” Ngokubhekele phaya, iindlela zokuxilonga azisoloko zichanile. Kwesinye isibhedlele abanye oomama bazala abantwana abanesi sifo, ukanti ukuxilongwa kwegazi loonina akuzange kubonise ukuba banegcushuwa.

Ngaba Likho Ithemba Lokuba Ziya Kuze Ziphele?

Umlo womntu nxamnye nezifo akungoku wabakho yaye ububangela ukatyo lodwa. Ngokufuthi ukuphumelela ekoyiseni ezinye izifo kuphazanyiswa kukusilela ukoyisa ezinye. Ngaba umntu uya kuhlalela ukulwa imfazwe engaphele ndawo nangasokuze ayiphumelele? Ngaba liya kuze libekho ihlabathi elingenazifo?

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Umonakalo Obangelwa Yigcushuwa

IGCUSHUWA ibangelwa yiTreponema pallidum, intsholongwane emile okwesixhobo esijikojiko sokujija isikrufu, yaye ngokuqhelekileyo idluliselwa ngamalungu esini. Yandule ke le ntsholongwane ingene kumsinga wegazi ize ityhutyhe umzimba wonke.

Kwiiveki eziliqela wakuba unesi sifo, uba nesilonda esibizwa ngokuba yichancre. Ngokuqhelekileyo sibakho kumalungu esini kodwa kunokuba sibe lapho sisenokuba semilebeni, kwiindimla, okanye eminweni. Ekugqibeleni esi silonda siyaphila singashiyi siva. Kodwa zona iintsholongwane ziyaqhubeka zityhutyha umzimba de kuvele ezinye iimpawu zesi sifo: ukujaduka, umqala obuhlungu, ukuqaqanjelwa ngamalungu, ukuxhwitheka kweenwele, izilonda kumalungu athile omzimba nokudumba kwamehlo.

Ukuba ayinyangwa, igcushuwa ihlala apha kuwe mhlawumbi ubomi bakho bonke. Ukuba ebudeni beli thuba ibhinqa liyakhulelwa, lisenokuzala umntwana oyimfama, enesiphene, okanye efile.

Kumashumi eminyaka kamva, kwabathile igcushuwa isenokufikelela kwinqanaba layo lokugqibela, ekuthi kulo le ntsholongwane ihlale entliziyweni, engqondweni, kumnqonqo, okanye kwamanye amalungu omzimba. Ukuba le ntsholongwane ihleli engqondweni, umphumo usenokuba kukuxhuzula, ukungasebenzi kwamalungu omzimba kwanokugula ngengqondo. Ekugqibeleni, esi sifo sisenokukubulala.

[Inkcazelo]

Biophoto Associates/Science Source/Photo Researchers

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

“Sisikhwenene Sokwenene”

LEYO yindlela uGqr. Lee Reichman asibiza ngayo isifo sephepha. Uthi: “Sisenokuba neempawu ezifanayo nezengqele, ibronchitis, umkhuhlane. Ngoko ngaphandle kokuba ugqirha ucinga ngesifo sephepha, usenokungakwazi ukusinyanga.” Kufuneka kuxilongwe isifuba ngeX ray ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuba unaso na esi sifo.

Abantu basulelana ngesifo sephepha ngomoya. Ukukhohlela kunokubumba amasuntswana amancinane ngokwaneleyo ukuba angangena emiphungeni. Noko ke, ukuzikhusela komzimba ngokuqhelekileyo kunamandla okuthintela le ntsholongwane ingasasazeki. UGqr. Reichman uyacacisa: “Kuphela [ngabo] baneentsholongwane ezininzi kwiintunja zesifuba sabo—ezizizigidi ezili-100 ngokwahlukileyo kwabo banezimbalwa kubo ezingama-10 000—[abanako] ukusisasaza esi sifo.”

[Inkcazelo]

SPL/Photo Researchers

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Ubushushu Bomhlaba Nesifo Seengcongconi

ISIFO seengcongconi asinakuqalisa ngaphandle kwengcongconi esithwalayo eyiAnopheles gambiae. IThe Economist ithi: “Xa uphelisa ezi [zinambuzane] uya kuba usiphelisile esi sifo.”

Ulingelo olwenziwa kwizindlu zokwenza ulingelo lubonise ukuba ukwanda kancinane kobushushu bomhlaba kunokuzandisa gqitha ezi zinambuzane. Ngaloo ndlela, zimbi iingcali zigqiba kwelokuba ubushushu bunokufak’ isandla kanobom kubukho besifo seengcongconi. UGqr. Wallace Peters, uthi: “Ukuba iqondo lobushushu loMhlaba landa ngesinye okanye ngesibini ngokukaCelsius, linokwandisa iindawo ezifukamela kuzo iingcongconi ukuze isifo seengcongconi sisasazeke ngokubanzi nangaphezu kokuba sinjalo ngoku.”

[Inkcazelo]

Dr. Tony Brain/SPL/Photo Researchers

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Iindawo zabantu abangenamakhaya zinokuba ziindawo esinokwanda kuzo isifo sephepha

[Inkcazelo]

Melchior DiGiacomo