Ukuthengiswa Kwegazi Kulushishino Olukhulu

IGOLIDE EBOMVU! Njengoko elinye igama ebizwa ngalo libonisa, le yenye yezinto ezixabiseke gqitha. Olu lulwelo oluxabisekileyo, imveliso ebalulekileyo engokwendalo eye yathelekiswa kungekuphela nje negolide kodwa neoli namalahle. Noko ke, igolide ebomvu ayimbiwa emathunjini omhlaba onamatye ngeebhola needamanethi. Imbiwa kwimithambo yabantu ngeendlela ezichulwe gqitha.

“Khanincede bethu, intwazana yam encinane ifuna igazi,” eso sisibhengezo esibhalwe kwibhodi ekwisitrato esikhulu sesiXeko saseNew York. Ezinye izibhengezo zithi: “Ukuba ungumntu onikezela ngegazi, uluhlobo lomntu elingenakuphila ngaphandle kwakhe eli hlabathi.” “Igazi lakho lixabisekile. Sincede ngalo.”

Kuyabonakala ukuba esi sigidimi siyafikelela kubantu abafuna ukunceda abanye. Bathontelana bezizihlwele, ehlabathini lonke. Alithandabuzeki elokuba inkoliso yabo, ndawonye nabantu abaqokelela igazi nabo balitofelayo, bakufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukunceda abantu ababandezelekileyo kwaye bakholelwa ekubeni benjenjalo.

Kodwa emva kokuba kunikelwe ngegazi nangaphambi kokuba litofelwe, lidlula kubantu abaninzi yaye kuninzi okwenziwayo ngalo kunokuba inkoliso yethu icinga. Njengegolide, igazi likhuthaza ukubawa. Lisenokuthengiswa ngokunengeniso kanti linokuphinda lithengiswe ngengeniso engakumbi. Bambi abantu balwela amalungelo okuqokelela igazi, balithengisa ngamaxabiso aphakame ngokugqithiseleyo, baba zizityebi ngenxa yalo, kwaye bade balithumele kwamanye amazwe ngokungekho mthethweni. Kulo lonke ihlabathi, ukuthengiswa kwegazi kulushishino olukhulu.

EUnited States, kwithuba elidluleyo abantu abanikezela ngegazi bebehlawulwa ngoko nangoko ngegazi labo. Kodwa ngowe-1971 umbhali waseBritani uRichard Titmuss wathi ngokuthi ngamaqhinga iphembelele amahlwempu nabagulayo ukuba banikezele ngegazi ukuze bafumane iirandi ezimbalwa, inkqubo yaseMerika yokugcina igazi ayikhuselekanga. Wakwathi kuyinto embi ngabantu ukuba bafumane ingeniso ngenxa yokunikezela kwabo ngegazi ukunceda abanye. Amazwi akhe arhabaxa aphumela ekuphelisweni kokuhlawulwa kwabo banikezela ngegazi elipheleleyo eUnited States (nangona oku kusénzeka kwamanye amazwe). Ukanti, oku akuzange kuyinciphise nakancinane ingeniso ezuzwa ngokurhweba ngegazi. Ngoba?

Indlela Igazi Elahlala Linengeniso Ngayo

Ngeminyaka yee-1940, izazinzulu zaqalisa ukulahlulela igazi kwinxalenye zalo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Inkqubo, ngoku ebizwa ngokuba lulwahlulahlulo ngokweenxalenye (fractionation), ilenza igazi libe lolona shishino lunengeniso kwanangakumbi. Njani? Kaloku, phawula oku: Xa kuqhaqhwa inqwelo-mafutha entsha kuze kuthengiswe iintsimbi zayo, ixabiso layo lisenokuba leliphindaphindwe kahlanu kunexabiso layo xa iphelele. Ngokufanayo, igazi lixabisa ngakumbi xa lahlulahlulwe zaza iinxalenye zalo zathengiswa ngokwahlukeneyo.

Isiyilelo (plasma), esenza malunga nesiqingatha somthamo opheleleyo wegazi, siyinxalenye enengeniso engakumbi egazini. Ekubeni isiyilelo singenazo iinxalenye zeeseli zegazi​—⁠iiseli ezibomvu, iiseli ezimhlophe neeplatelets​—⁠sinokuqwayitwa size sigcinwe. Ngaphezu koko, lowo unikezela ngegazi uvunyelwa ukuba anikele ngegazi elipheleleyo kangangezihlandlo ezihlanu kuphela ngonyaka. Kodwa unokunikezela ngesiyilelo kabini ngeveki ngenkqubo eyiplasmapheresis. Kule nkqubo, kutsalwa igazi elipheleleyo, isiyilelo siyahlukaniswa, zize ke iinxalenye zeeseli zibuyiselwe kulowo unikezela ngegazi.

EUnited States kusavunywa ukuba abo banikezela ngesiyilelo bahlawulwe ngaso. Ngaphezu koko, elo lizwe liyavuma ukuba abo banikezela ngesiyilelo benjenjalo kangangezihlandlo ezimalunga nesine minyaka le kunoko kunconyelwa yiNtlangano Yempilo Yehlabathi! Ngoko, alimangalisi elokuba, iUnited States iqokelela ngaphezu kwama-60 ekhulwini esiyilelo esifumaneka ehlabathini lonke. Sonke eso siyilelo sixabisa malunga nee-R1 170 zesigidi, kodwa sinexabiso elingaphezu kwezorhwebo ngenxa yokuba kwanesiyilelo sinokwahlulelwa kwizithako ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ehlabathini lonke, isiyilelo singunobangela woshishino olwenza imali engangee-R5 200 000 000!

Ngokutsho kwephephandaba iMainichi Shimbun, iJapan isebenzisa malunga nesinye kwisithathu sesiyilelo esisetyenziswa ehlabathini lonke. Elo lizwe lithenga kumazwe angaphandle ama-96 ekhulwini ale nxalenye yegazi, inkoliso yalo evela eUnited States. Abo bakugxekayo oku apho eJapan baye balibiza elo lizwe ngokuthi “ngummfimfithi wegazi osehlabathini,” yaye iSebe Lempilo Nentlalontle laseJapan liye lazama ukuluthintela olu rhwebo, lisithi asinto ifanelekileyo ukwenza ingeniso ngegazi. Enyanisweni, eli Sebe lithi amaziko ezamayeza aseJapan enza ingeniso emalunga nee-R520 000 000 nyaka ngamnye eyenziwa nje yinxalenye enye yesiyilelo, ialbumin.

INtshona Jamani isebenzisa imveliso engakumbi yegazi kunayo yonke iYurophu idibene, ngakumbi emntwini ngamnye kunalo naliphi na ilizwe elisehlabathini. Incwadi ethi Zum Beispiel Blut (Ngokomzekelo, Igazi) ithi ngemveliso yegazi: “Ngaphezu kwesiqingatha salo sithengwa kwamanye amazwe, ngokuyintloko eUnited States, kodwa sikwathengwa nakuMazwe Asakhasayo. Kwezinye iimeko livela kumahlwempu, afuna ukuphucula imivuzo yawo ngokunikezela ngesiyilelo.” Bambi baba bantu bangamahlwempu bathengisa igazi labo elininzi kangangokuba bayafa ngenxa yokulahlekelwa ligazi.

Uninzi lwamaziko arhweba ngesiyilelo akhiwe kwimimandla enabemi abafumana imivuzo emincinane okanye kufutshane nemida yamazwe ahlwempuzeke ngakumbi. Atsala abahlwempuzekileyo nabahlelelekileyo, abakulungele gqitha ukuthengisa ngesiyilelo ukuze bafumane imali nabanezizathu ezininzi zokunikela ngakumbi kunendlela abafanele banikele ngayo okanye abafihla nasiphi na isigulo abasenokuba banaso. Ushishino olunjalo ngesiyilelo luye lwanda kumazwe angama-25 ehlabathini jikelele. Lwakuba nje luvaliwe kwelinye ilizwe, luqalisa kwelinye. Ukunyoba amagosa kunye nokungenisa okanye ukuthumela izinto ngokungekho mthethweni kwamanye amazwe akunto ingaqhelekanga.

Ingeniso Efumaneka Apho Kungamele Kubekho Ngeniso

Kodwa kwaneendawo ezigcina igazi zingenzeli ngeniso ziye zagxekwa ngokuqatha mvanje. Ngowe-1986 intatheli enguAndrea Rock kwiphephancwadi iMoney yathi ngesixa esincinane segazi iindawo ezigcina igazi zibahlawula abo banikezela ngalo ii-R149,50 zize izibhedlele zihlawule ii-R228,80 ukulithenga kwezi ndawo ziligcinayo kwaye abaguli bahlawula imali esusela kwii-R975 ukusa kwii-R1 560 ukulifumana ngokutofelwa.

Ngaba le meko iye yaguquka ukususela ngoko? NgoSeptemba 1989 intatheli uGilbert M. Gaul weThe Philadelphia Inquirer wabhala ungcelele lwamanqaku ephephandaba ngenkqubo yaseUnited States yokugcinwa kwegazi.a Emva kophando olwathabatha unyaka, wanikela ingxelo yokuba zimbi zeendawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi zibongoza abantu ukuba banikezele ngegazi zize kwazona zithengise ngesiqingatha selo gazi kwamanye amaziko egazi, ngengeniso ethile. OkaGaul waqikelela ukuba iindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi zithengisa ngesiqingatha seelitha zegazi esimalunga nesigidi seelitha minyaka le ngale ndlela, ngentengiselwano yobuqhophololo engenisa ii-R130 000 000 ngonyaka esebenza ngandlel’ ithile njengeziko lokuthengisa izahlulo zamashishini.

Noko ke, umahluko oyintloko ngulo: Oku kunanisa ngegazi akukho phantsi kweliso likarhulumente. Akukho mntu unokwazi ukuba kwande kangakanani na ngokuthe ngqo, kungasathethwa ke ngokumisela amaxabiso ako. Yaye uninzi lwabantu abanikezela ngegazi alwazi nto ngako. Omnye owayengumsébenzi kwindawo ekugcinwa kuyo igazi nodla umhlala-phantsi waxelela iThe Philadelphia Inquirer ukuba, “Abantu bayabhanxwa. Akukho mntu ubaxelelayo ukuba igazi labo liziswa kuthi. Bebeya kuba nomsindo ukuba bebekwazi oko.” Elinye igosa kumbutho Womnqamlezo Obomvu likubeka ngokufutshane ngale ndlela oku: “Abantu abasebenza kwiindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi baye bababhanxa kangangeminyaka emininzi abantu baseMerika.”

EUnited States kuphela, iindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi ziye zaqokelela iilitha ezimalunga nezigidi ezi-⁠6,5 zegazi minyaka le, yaye zithengisa izixa zemveliso yegazi ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-30 ngeerandi ezimalunga nesi-2,6 sewaka lesigidi. Le yimali eninzi gqitha. Iindawo ezigcina igazi azilisebenzisi ibinzana elithi “ingeniso.” Zikhetha ukusebenzisa intetho ethi “okuseleyo emva kokuthabatha iindleko.” Ngokomzekelo, umbutho Womnqamlezo Obomvu, wafumana ii-R780 zesigidi njengemali ‘eseleyo emva kokuthabatha iindleko’ ukususela ngowe-1980 ukusa kowe-1987.

Iindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi ziphikisa ngelithi ziziintlangano ezingafumani ngeniso. Zithi ngokungafaniyo namaqumrhu amakhulu anxulumene neWall Street, imali yazo ayiyi kubaphathi bezoshishino. Kodwa ukuba umbutho Womnqamlezo Obomvu ubunokugqalwa ungulowo unabantu abanesabelo eshishinini elithile, ubuya kubalelwa kwawona maqumrhu anengeniso eUnited States, njengakwaGeneral Motors. Ibe amagosa eendawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi afumana imivuzo encumisayo. Ama-25 ekhulwini kumagosa eendawo ezingama-62 ekugcinwa kuzo igazi ekwenziwa kuzo uphando yiThe Philadelphia Inquirer, ayesamkela imali engaphezu kwee-R260 000 ngonyaka. Wambi amkela imali ephindwe kabini kunaleyo.

Abantu abasebenza kwiindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi, bakwathi ‘abalithengisi’ igazi abaliqokelelayo​—⁠babiza kuphela imali yokuliqokelela neyokulilondoloza. Omnye osebenza kwiindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi uphendula ngeliliphikisayo elo bango esithi: “Iyandiphambanisa into yokuba umbutho Womnqamlezo Obomvu uthi awulithengisi igazi. Oko kufana nokuba ivenkile enkulu ithi ikuhlawulisa ibhokisi yekhadibhodi kuphela, kungekhona ubisi oluphakathi kuyo.”

Urhwebo Olusehlabathini Lonke

Njengorhwebo lwesiyilelo, urhwebo lwegazi elipheleleyo luyinto ekho kulo lonke ihlabathi. Kunjalo nokugxekwa kwalo. Ngokomzekelo, umbutho Womnqamlezo Obomvu waseJapan, wabangela isiphithiphithi ngo-Oktobha 1989 xa wazama ukuzenza wamkeleke kurhwebo lwaseJapan ngokuwathoba ngokugqithiseleyo amaxabiso kwimveliso ekhutshwa kwigazi ekunikelwa ngalo. Izibhedlele zafumana ingeniso enkulu ngokwazisa imibutho yazo yeinshorensi ukuba zaye zathenga igazi ngamaxabiso amiselweyo.

Ngokutsho kwephephandaba laseThailand iThe Nation, wambi kumazwe aseAsia aye aluphelisa urhwebo lwegolide ebomvu ngokuphelisa ukuhlawulwa kwabo banikezela ngalo. EIndiya abantu abangama-500 000 bathengisa igazi labo ukuze baphile. Bambi, abaxhwalekileyo nabahlwempuzekileyo, bazenza bantu bambi ukuze banikele ngegazi elingaphezulu koko kwamkelekileyo. Kwabanye kutsalwa ngabom igazi eligqithiseleyo ngabo basebenza kwezi ndawo kugcinwa kuzo igazi.

Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Blood: Gift of Merchandise, uPiet J. Hagen uthi ubuqhophololo obenziwa kwiindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi bubangela owona monakalo mkhulu eBrazil. Amakhulukhulu eendawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi nezizezorhwebo eBrazil azuza ingeniso ezii-R182 lesigidi etsala aba bangenazazela. Ngokutsho kwencwadi ethi Bluternte (Isivuno Segazi), amahlwempu nabo bangaqeshwanga baba ngumsinga ukuya kwiindawo ekugcinwa kuzo igazi ezininzi ngokungenakubaleka eBogotá, eColombia. Bathengisa isiqingatha selitha segazi labo ukuze ubuncinane bafumane iipesos ezingama-350 ukusa kwezingama-500. Abaguli basenokuhlawula iipesos ezisusela kuma-4 000 ukusa kwezingama-6 000 ngesiqingatha selitha esikwasinye!

Ngokucacileyo, ubuncinane oko ngokwenyaniso kwenzeka ehlabathini lonke kubonakala koku kukhankanywe ngaphambili: Ukuthengiswa kwegazi kulushishino olukhulu. Bambi basenokubuza ‘Kuthekeni ke? Sisiphi isizathu esibangela ukuba kungenziwa lushishino lukhulu ngegazi?’

Phofu ke, yintoni eyenza ukuba abantu abaninzi babe nenkxalabo ngoshishino olukhulu xa lulonke? Kukubawa. Ngokomzekelo, ukubawa kubonakala xa ushishino olukhulu luphembelela abantu ukuba bathenge izinto abangazifuni ngokwenene; okanye okubi kwanangakumbi, xa luqhubeka lunyanzela abantu ukuba bamkele imveliso ethile eyaziwa iyingozi, okanye xa lusala ukuchitha imali lusenza imveliso yalo ukuba ibe yekhuseleke ngakumbi.

Ukuba ushishino ngegazi luphenjelelwa lolo hlobo lokubawa, ubomi bezigidi zabantu ezisehlabathini busengozini enkulu. Ngaba ukubawa kuye kwalonakalisa ushishino ngegazi?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Ukurhweba Ngomkhaya

Kunokwenzeka ukuba abafazi abaliqela abasandul’ ukuzala bayazibuza ukuba kwenzeka ntoni kumkhaya (placenta), intlanganisela yeeseli ezondla usana ngoxa lusesibelekweni. Ngokutsho kweThe Philadelphia Inquirer, izibhedlele ezininzi ziyayigcina, ziyikhenkcise zize ziyithengise. Ngowe-1987 kuphela, iUnited States yathumela ngenqanawa umkhaya oziikhilogram ezisisigidi esili-⁠0,8 phesheya. Umzi-mveliso okufutshane neParis, eFransi, uthenga iitoni ezili-15 zomkhaya mihla le! Umkhaya ungumthombo osele ulungile wesiyilelo segazi likamama, ethi le nkampani yenze ngawo amayeza awahlukahlukeneyo ize iwathengise kumazwe anokuba likhulu.

[Igrafu/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Iinxalenye Ezibalulekileyo Zegazi

Isiyilelo: Umthamo wegazi omalunga nama-55 ekhulwini. Ama-92 ekhulwini aso ngamanzi; okuseleyo kuyinxalenye yentlanganisela yeeprotini, ezinjengeeglobulins, iifibrinogens nealbumin

Iiplatelets: Umthamo wegazi omalunga ne-0,17 ekhulwini

Iiseli Ezimhlophe: umthamo omalunga ne-⁠0,1 ekhulwini

Iiseli Ezibomvu: umthamo omalunga nama-45 ekhulwini