Ukufa Okuthwelwe Ngamaphikwana Acekethekileyo

Ngumbhaleli kaVukani! eNigeria

Le asiyomfazwe engundaba-mlonyeni kumajelo eendaba; ukanti isube ubomi bezigidi ezininzi zabantu. Asiyomfazwe eliwa ngeebhombu nangeembumbulu; ukanti xa ujonga indlela ebabandezela nebabulala ngayo abantu, izidlula lee ezo ziliwa ngeebhombu. Kule mfazwe, into ebulala abantu ayithwalwanga zizithuthi zotshaba olunamandla, kodwa ithwelwe ngamaphikwana acekethekileyo emazi yengcongconi.

KUSEBUSUKU; intsapho yonke ilele obentlombe. Kungena ingcongconi egumbini lokulala, amaphiko ayo ephaphazela izihlandlo eziphakathi kwama-200 nama-500 ngomzuzwana. Inxanelwe igazi lomntu. Ngobunono, ihlala engalweni yenkwenkwana. Ekubeni ubunzima bayo buziigram ezisisi-3/1 000 le nkwenkwana ayiyiva. Yibone ke ikhupha iinkcakuba zamazinyo ayo amile okwesarha emlonyeni ize ibe sele ityanda ngazo isikhumba sale nkwenkwana ukuze ifikelele emthanjeni. Iimpompo ezimbini ezisentlokweni yayo zifunxa igazi lale nkwenkwana. Isenza le nto nje, iintsholongwane zesifo seengcongconi ziphuma kumadlala ayo zingene egazini lale nkwenkwana. Ngephanyazo sele ilugqibile utyando; inkwenkwana yona ayazi nokuba kuphi. Ingcongconi izihambela indlela yayo, isitsho sabomvu esayo ngegazi elibuphinda kathathu ubunzima bayo. Kungentsuku zatywala emva koku, le nkwenkwana igulel’ ukufa. Inesifo seengcongconi.

Le nto ibisenzeka ngokuphindaphindiweyo izihlandlo ezingamawaka ezigidi. Imiphumo yayo ibe kukubandezeleka nokufa koMbo nomXesibe. Alithandabuzeki elokuba isifo seengcongconi lolona tshaba lukhohlakeleyo nolungayekeleliyo lwabantu.

Iphulo Elizingisileyo Lokufuna Olu Tshaba

Enye yezona zinto zibalulekileyo kwiphulo lokulwa nesifo seengcongconi, ayizange ifunyaniswe ngoomakhwekhwetha bezazinzulu baseYurophu, kodwa yafunyaniswa ngugqirha woMkhosi waseBritani owayemise iintente eIndiya. Izazinzulu noogqirha benkulungwane ye-19, becinga ngendlela efanayo nekwakucingwa ngayo kwiminyaka engamawaka amabini eyadlulayo, babecinga ukuba abantu babesifumana esi sifo ngokuphefumla umoya ongcolileyo.a Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uGqr. Ronald Ross wayekholelwa ukuba esi sifo sidluliselwa sisuka komnye umntu siye komnye ziingcongconi. Kwanasemva kokuba kusaziwa ukuba isifo seengcongconi sinento yokwenza neentsholongwane ezisegazini lomntu, abaphengululi baqhubeka bephanda izinto ezinokubanceda basiqonde emoyeni nasemanzini asemgxobhozweni. Besenza oko nje, okaRoss yena wayephonononga izisu zeengcongconi.

Xa ucinga ngezixhobo ezazikwizindlu zokwenza ulingelo ekwakufuneka azisebenzise, ukujonga izisu zeengcongconi kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Njengokuba wayesebenza, iingcongconi neembuzane zazibhubhuzela phezu kwakhe, ngokutsho kwalo kaRoss, zizimisele ukuphindezelela “ukufa koogxa bazo.”

Ekugqibeleni, ngoAgasti 16, 1897, lo kaRoss wafumana, emacaleni esisu sengcongconi ethwala isifo seengcongconi (anopheles mosquito), izinto ezingqukuva ezazikhule nje esithubeni. Kwathi kanti ziintsholongwane zesifo seengcongconi!

Engawuvali umlomo yimincili, lo kaRoss waqubula incwadi yakhe yamanqaku wabhala esithi usifumene isicombululo sale ntsinda-badala esiya “kusindisa izigidi ngezigidi zabantu.” Kwakhona wabhala nendinyana yeBhayibhile ekwincwadi yabaseKorinte: “Luphi na, kufa, ulwamvila lwakho? Luphi na, Hadesi, uloyiso lwakho?”—1 Korinte 15:55.

Umonakalo Owenziwe Sisifo Seengcongconi

Oko kwafunyaniswa ngulo kaRoss kwakulinyathelo elibalulekileyo kwimfazwe eyayisiliwa nesifo seengcongconi, elahlahlela abantu indlela yokubhinqela phezulu besilwa nesi sifo nezinambuzane ezisithwalayo.

Kangangethuba elide kwimbali yoluntu, abantu bebesoyiswa kuthi tu sisifo seengcongconi ibe besingabaphi siqabu. Izinto ezibhalwe ngohlobo lokubhala lwamaYiputa zibonisa ukuba isifo seengcongconi sasigqugqisile kwiminyaka eli-1 500 ngaphambi kokuba uKristu aphile emhlabeni. Senza umonakalo kwizixeko ezihle ezisemazantsi kwiGrisi yamandulo saza sethula uAlesandire Omkhulu esihlalweni sakhe samlahla kwantsongwa-nyawana eseze ngobuso elizweni. Kwizixeko zaseRoma sanqunqel’ egoqweni amashumi abantu saza saqweqwedisa izinhanha saya kuzilahla kweleentaba. Ebudeni beeMfazwe zoMnqamlezo, kwiMfazwe Yamakhaya YaseMerika nakwiimfazwe zehlabathi ezimbini, sabulala abantu abangakumbi kunababulawa kulo naliphi na kumadabi aphambili.

EAfrika isifo seengcongconi sabangela iNtshona Afrika yafumana igama lokuba “Lingcwaba Labamhlophe.” Enyanisweni, esi sifo sathintela umzamo wamaYurophu wokwenza iAfrika ibe lithanga lawo kangangokuba enye iyunivesithi yaseNtshona Afrika yathi ingcongconi ligorha lezizwe! KuMbindi Merika, isifo seengcongconi soyisa amaFrentshi ezama ukwakha iPanama Canal. KuMzantsi Merika, xa kwakusenziwa umgaqo kaloliwe iMamoré-Madeira eBrazil, isifo seengcongconi kuthiwa sabulala abantu abalinganayo neentsimbi zeso siporo.

Ukulwela Ukuphumelela

Abantu baqala kwakumawakawaka eminyaka ukuzikhusela kwiingcongconi, kodwa bona babengazi ukuba balwa nesifo seengcongconi. Kwinkulungwane ye-16 B.C.E., amaYiputa ayesebenzisa ioli evela kumthi iBalanites wilsoniana njengento yokugxotha iingcongconi. Kwiminyaka eliwaka kamva, uHerodotus wabhala esithi abalobi baseYiputa babebhijela iibhedi zabo ngeminatha yokuloba ebusuku ukuze bagxothe ezi zinambuzane. Kwiinkulungwane ezili-17 kamva, uMarco Polo wachaza ukuba abemi abami kakuhle baseIndiya babelala kwiibhedi ezikhuselwe ngomkhusane ovalwayo ebusuku.

Nakwezinye iindawo, abantu bafumana imichiza yemveli eyayiluncedo kakhulu. Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-2 000, isifo seengcongconi eTshayina sasinyangwa ngokuphumelelayo ngesityalo esibizwa ngokuba yiqinghaosu, ingcambu ephinde yafunyanwa kwiminyaka yakutshanje. KuMzantsi Merika, amaIndiya asePeru ayesebenzisa ixolo lomthi icinchona. Kwinkulungwane ye-17, icinchona yasetyenziswa eYurophu, ibe ngowe-1820 oosokhemesti ababini baseParis basebenzisa incindi yayo ebizwa ngokuba yiquinine.

Izixhobo Ezitsha

Indlela eluncedo ngayo iquinine ekukhuseleni nasekunyangeni isifo seengcongconi ayizange iqondwe kamsinya, kodwa yathi yakuqondwa, yaba lelona yeza liphambili kangangamakhulu eminyaka. Kwandula ke, ekuqaleni kwemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, amajoni amaJapan afumana izithole zemithi ezibalulekileyo zecinchona kwiMpuma Ekude. Ukunqongophala okukhulu kwequinine okwaba ngumphumo woko eUnited States kwabangela ukuba kuphunyw’ iphulo kufunwa iyeza lokulwa isifo seengcongconi. Kwafunyanwa ichloroquine, iyeza elalingenabungozi, linamandla nekwakungabizi mali ininzi ukulivelisa.

Ngokukhawuleza ichloroquine yaba sisixhobo esiphambili sokulwa nesifo seengcongconi. Kwakhona ngeminyaka yee-1940 kwaveliswa iyeza lokubulala izinambuzane iDDT, umbulali ongenalusini weengcongconi. I-DDT yayinganele nje ukubulala iingcongconi ngeli xesha uyifafaza kodwa leyo isele edongeni xa ubuyifafaza iqhubeka izibulala izinambuzane.b

Ithemba Lokusoyisa

Emva kwemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, izazinzulu ezazixhobe ngeDDT nechloroquine zagaya umkhosi wokulwa nesifo seengcongconi neengcongconi. Eli dabi laliza kuliwa ngeendlela ezimbini—amayeza ayeza kusetyenziselwa ukubulala intsholongwane yaso emzimbeni womntu, ngoxa izibulali-zinambuzane ezitshizwa kuyo yonke indawo zaziza kusetyenziselwa ukutshabalalisa iingcongconi.

Usukelo lwalukukuphumelela ngokupheleleyo. Sasiza kucinywa igama isifo seengcongconi. Ababekhonya phambili kolu hlaselo yiNtlangano Yempilo Yehlabathi (WHO) eyayisandul’ ukusekwa, eyayikujonga ukutshabalalisa esi sifo njengeyona nto iphambili kuyo. Enye into eyayenza yazimisela ngakumbi kukuxhaswa ngemali. Phakathi kowe-1957 nowe-1967, izizwe zachitha isi-3,5 samawaka ezigidi eerandi kweli phulo lomhlaba wonke. Ekuqaleni imiphumo yaba mihle gqitha. Esi sifo sanyamalala eYurophu, kuMntla Merika, eSoviet Union, eOstreliya nakumazwe athile akuMzantsi Merika. UNjingalwazi L. J. Bruce-Chwatt, igqala ekulweni isifo seengcongconi, wakhumbula oku: “Namhlanje ndiswele imilomo yokuchaza imincili eyabangelwa yingcamango yokutshatyalaliswa kwesifo seengcongconi ehlabathini lonke ngaloo mihla yesiqabu.” Isifo seengcongconi sasisengxakini! I-WHO yaqhayisa isithi: “Sikwazile ukutshabalalisa isifo seengcongconi.”

Isifo Seengcongconi Siyazilwela

Kodwa eli dabi lalingekaphunyelelwa. Izizukulwana zeengcongconi ezasindayo kuloo mbubhiso yemichiza zakwazi ukumelana nezibulali-zinambuzane. IDDT yayingasakwazi ukuzibulala ngokulula njengokuba yayiqhele ukwenza. Ngokufanayo, iintsholongwane zesifo seengcongconi ezisebantwini zakwazi ukumelana nechloroquine. Ezi kunye nezinye iingxaki zabangela ukuba esi sifo sibuye ngamandla kwamanye amazwe ekwakuqinisekiwe ukuba soyisiwe kuwo. Ngokomzekelo, eSri Lanka, apho ngowe-1963 babecinga ukuba basiphelisile esi sifo, kwiminyaka nje emihlanu kamva sabulala izigidi zabantu.

Ngowe-1969 kwakungekho mntu uliphikayo elokuba isifo seengcongconi sasilutshaba olungenakoyiswa kuphele. Endaweni yegama elithi “ukusiphelisa,” kwasetyenziswa elithi “ukusilawula.” Kuthetha ukuthini “ukusilawula”? UGqr. Brian Doberstyn, intsumpa yesebe lesifo seengcongconi leWHO, uchaza athi: “Ekuphela kwento esinokuyenza ngoku kukuzama ukunciphisa inani labantu ababulawa sesi sifo nabanaso.”

Elinye igosa leWHO likhalaza lisithi: “Emva kwemigudu yokuphelisa isifo seengcongconi eyenziwa ngeminyaka yee-1950 neyokubulala izinambuzane ngeDDT, abantu bezizwe ngezizwe baye bayekelel’ umxakatho. Ubuhlwempu, ukungabikho kwamalungiselelo karhulumente, nokoyisa kwaso amayeza nezibulali-zinambuzane kuye kwabangela ukuba esi sifo siqhubeke sikho. Enyanisweni, soyisiwe sesi sifo.”

Ukanti esinye isibakala sikukuba iinkampani zamayeza ziye zarhoxa kuphando lwazo. Esinye isazinzulu ngesifo seengcongconi sathi: “Ingxaki ikukuba kufuneka kusetyenziswe intywenka yemali, kodwa akukho nzuzo nalukhuthazo lufumanekayo.” Ewe, nangona abantu beye baphumelela kumadabi amaninzi, imfazwe nesifo seengcongconi ayikapheli. Noko ke, iBhayibhile iyathetha ngexesha elikufuphi xa ‘engasayi kuthi ummi wakhona, Ndiyafa.’ (Isaya 33:24) Kude kube lelo xesha, esi sifo nokufa okuthwele ngamaphiko acekethekileyo ziya kuhlala zikho.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 15]

Umlo Womntu Nengcongconi

Isongela phantse isiqingatha soluntu namazwe angaphezu kwalikhulu, ngokukodwa akweleenjiko. EAfrika yakhele.

Iingcongconi zaziwa ngokuncathama kwiinqwelo-moya ezisuka kwimimandla ekweleenjiko zize zihlasele abantu abahlala kufutshane nezikhululo zeenqwelo-moya zezizwe ngezizwe.

Iingxwelerha. Nyaka ngamnye zihlasela abantu abazizigidi ezingama-270, ibe zishiya abazizigidi ezi-2 itshoba lilele umbethe. Azinalusini ngokukodwa kumabhinqa akhulelweyo nakubantwana, ngokwesilinganiso zibulala abantwana ababini ngomzuzu ngamnye.

Ihlasela abandwendweli kumazwe akweleenjiko. Nyaka ngamnye eYurophu kunikelwa ingxelo yabantu abamalunga ne-10 000 “ababuya kwamanye amazwe” benesifo seengcongconi ibe kuMntla Merika bangaphezu kwe-1 000.

Indlela ezihlasela ngayo. Imazi yengcongconi ethwala esi sifo ithanda ukuhlasela ebusuku. Isifo seengcongconi siyadluliselwa nangotofelo-gazi yaye, nangeenaliti ezinentsholongwane yesi sifo, nangona kunqabile.

Uluntu lusandula ukusazi kwiminyaka yakutshanje esi sifo nendlela yokulwa naso. Phezu kwako nje ukubambisana kwamazwe ali-105 ezama ukoyisa esi sibetho, uluntu luyoyisakala.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Kulumkele Ukutyiwa Ziingcongconi

Gquma ibhedi ngomnatha xa ulala. Eyona minatha iluncedo yefakwe isibulali-zinambuzane.

Sebenzisa isixhobo sokupholisa umoya ebusuku ukuba unaso, okanye lala kwigumbi elineefestile neminyango evalwe ngomnatha. Ukuba akukho minatha, yivale iminyango neefestile.

Ngorhatya, kucebiseka ukuba unxibe impahla enemikhono emide nebhulukhwe ende. Iingcongconi ziyayithanda imibala engakhanyiyo.

Qaba iyeza lokugxotha iingcongconi kumalungu omzimba angagqunywanga ziimpahla. Khetha elinolwelo lokugxotha iingcongconi oluyidiethyltoluamide (ideet) okanye elinedimethyl phthalate.

Sebenzisa izifafazi zokugxotha iingcongconi, izibulali-zinambuzane, okanye iziqhumiso zokugxotha iingcongconi.

Umthombo: INtlangano Yempilo Yehlabathi.

[Inkcazelo]

H. Armstrong Roberts

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 17]

“Akukho ‘Mbumbulu Yomlingo’”

Ngoxa ithemba lokoyisa libonakala liziinkwenkwezi, idabi nesifo seengcongconi alikapheli. Kwingqungquthela yezizwe ngezizwe engesifo seengcongconi eBrazzaville, eCongo, ngo-Oktobha 1991, abameli beWHO bahlab’ ikhwelo lokuba abantu bahlukane “neso simo sengqondo siyingozi” baza bancomela ukuba ihlabathi lonke liqale phantsi nephulo lalo lilawule isifo seengcongconi. Iya kuphumelela kangakanani ke loo migudu?

Kutshanje umalathisi-jikelele weWHO uHiroshi Nakajima uthe: “Akukho ‘mbumbulu yomlingo’ yokudubula isifo seengcongconi. Ngoko ke sifanele silwe ngeendlela zonke.” Nazi iindlela ezintathu eziye kutshanje zabhengezwa ngokubanzi:

Ukugonya. Kangangeminyaka izazinzulu bezibhula zisela zifuna into yokugonya isifo seengcongconi, yaye amajelo eendaba ngamanye amaxesha achaza “impumelelo” kuphando lwazo. Kuba ingafuni abantu babe nethemba elingekhoyo, iWHO ilumkisa ngelokuba bakulumkele “ukukhohliswa ngabo bathi kungekudala iza kufunyanwa into yokugonya isifo seengcongconi.”

Enye into ebangela kube nzima ukuvelisa into yokugonya isifo seengcongconi kukuba intsholongwane yaso esemntwini iyoyisa kuthi tu imigudu yokuzilwela kwenkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela kwizifo. Enoba kusemva kweminyaka emininzi ihlaselwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo, inkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela kwizifo ikwazi kancinane ukuzikhusela kwesi sifo. UGqr. Hans Lobel, ingcali kwizifo ezihlasela uluntu osebenza kwiU.S. Centers for Disease Control eAtlanta uthi: “Inkqubo yakho yomzimba yokuzikhusela kwizifo ayikwazi kuzikhusela xa isahlaselwe izihlandlo ezimbalwa nje kuphela. Ngoko [ngokuzama ukuvelisa into yokusigonya] uzama ukutshintsha indalo.”

Amayeza. Ekubeni intsholongwane yesifo seengcongconi isiya ithath’ unyawo ekoyiseni amayeza akhoyo, iWHO ibhengeza iyeza elitsha elibizwa ngokuba yiarteether, elenziwe ngencindi yengcambu yaseTshayina iqinghaosu.c IWHO inethemba lokuba iqinghaosu isenokuba sisiqalo sokusetyenziswa kwamayeza emveli, asenokufumaneka kubo bonke abantu behlabathi ingaphelanga iminyaka elishumi.

Ukusebenzisa iminatha ebhedini. Le nkqubo yokuzikhusela ineminyaka engamawaka amabini ikho isasebenza. Iingcongconi ezithwele esi sifo zithanda ukuhlasela ebusuku, yaye azikwazi kungena emnatheni. Eyona minatha iluncedo yefakwe isibulali-zinambuzane, esinjengepermethrin. Uhlolisiso eAfrika lubonisa ukuba kumaphandle apho abantu babhijela iibhedi zabo ngeminatha efakwe isibulali-zinambuzane, ababulawa sesi sifo behla ngama-60 ekhulwini.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Kuthekani Ngokhenketho Lokuya Kweleenjiko?

Ukuba uceba ukukhenketha uye kummandla apho kugquba isifo seengcongconi, ufanele wenze oku kulandelayo:

1. Bonana nogqirha wakho okanye uye kwiziko lokugonya.

2. Yilandele yonke imiyalelo oyinikwayo, yaye ukuba usela iyeza lokuthintela isifo seengcongconi, qhubeka usenjenjalo kangangeeveki ezine emva kokuba ubuyile kummandla onesifo seengcongconi.

3. Zikhusele ungatyiwa ziingcongconi.

4. Zazi iimpawu zesifo seengcongconi: umkhuhlane, intloko ebuhlungu, ukuqaqamba kwezihlunu, ukuhlanza, kunye/okanye ukuhanjiswa sisisu. Khumbula ukuba isifo seengcongconi sinokubonakala kwanasemva konyaka ubuyile kummandla onesifo seengcongconi kwanokuba amayeza okuthintela isifo seengcongconi ubuwasebenzisa.

5. Ukuba uneempawu zaso, bonana nogqirha. Isifo seengcongconi sinokuhambela phambili msinya yaye sinokukubulala kwisithuba esingaphantsi kweeyure ezingama-48 emva kokuvela kweempawu zokuqala zaso.

Umthombo: INtlangano Yempilo Yehlabathi.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

H. Armstrong Roberts