Imigudu Yokusindisa Abantwana

“Sihlanganisene kwiNgqungquthela Yehlabathi Ngemicimbi Yabantwana ngenjongo yokuba sizibophelele ngokuyintlanganisela size sihlab’ ikhwelo ngokungxamisekileyo ebantwini bonke—ukuba banike mntwana ngamnye ikamva elilunge ngakumbi.”—INkomfa YeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, yowe-1990.

OOMONGAMELI neenkulumbuso ezivela kumazwe angaphezu kwama-70 babehlanganisane kwisiXeko saseNew York ngoSeptemba 29 nowama-30, 1990, ukuze baxubushe ingxaki yabantwana abasehlabathini.

Kule nkomfa kwanikelwa ingqalelo yezizwe ngezizwe kwindlela ababandezeleka ngokulusizi ngayo abantwana, intlungu esehlabathini lonke ebifihlakele. Owayemele elaseUnited States uPeter Teeley wathi: “Ukuba mihla le bekusifa amafubesi angama-40 000, bekuya kubakho into eyenziwayo. Kodwa abantwana abangama-40 000 bayafa, kodwa loo nto ibethiswa ngoyaba.”

Bonke abo baphambili eburhulumenteni ababedibene ngeentloko apho bavumelana kwelokuba kumele kwenziwe okuthile—ngokungxamisekileyo. Benza “isifungo esinzulu sokubeka amalungelo abantwana kwindawo yokuqala, ukuze basinde baze bakhuseleke nokuze benze inkqubela.” Ngawaphi amacebo aqinisekileyo abawenzayo?

Ubomi Babantwana Abangaphezu Kwezigidi Ezingama-50 Busemngciphekweni

Injongo eyintloko yayikukusindisa abantwana abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-50 abasemngciphekweni wokufa ebudeni beminyaka yee-1990. Ubomi babaninzi kwaba bantwana bebunokusindiswa ngokusetyenziswa kwale milinganiselo ilandelayo yezempilo.

• Ukuba bonke abadlezana kumazwe asakhasayo bayakhuthazwa ukuba bancancise iintsana zabo ubuncinane kangangeenyanga ezine ukuya kwezintandathu, nyaka ngamnye bekunokusinda abantwana abasisigidi.

• Ukusetyenziswa kakhulu kweoral rehydration therapy (iORT) bekunokuwunciphisa kangangesiqingatha umlinganiselo wokufa obangelwa sisifo sorhudo, esibulala abantwana abazizigidi ezine nyaka ngamnye.a

• Ukugonywa kwabantwana abaninzi nokusetyenziswa kwamayeza okubulala iintsholongwane angabizi mali eninzi kunokuthintela okunye ukufa kwezigidi okubangelwa zizifo ezinjengemasisi, uminxano-mihlathi nayinyumoniya.

Ngaba olo hlobo lwenkqubo yezempilo lunokufikelelwa? Mhlawumbi belunokubiza amawaka ezigidi zeerandi asisi-8,3 ngonyaka ngasekupheleni kweshumi leminyaka. Xa ezi ndleko zithelekiswa nezehlabathi lonke beziya kuba ncinane. Iinkampani zecuba zaseMerika zichitha loo mali nyaka ngamnye—ekubhengezeni nje umdiza. Mihla le amazwe ehlabathi achitha kwaimali elingana naleyo ekuthengeni izixhobo. Ngaba loo mali ibinokusetyenziswa ngokulunge ngakumbi kwimpilo yabantwana abasengozini? ISindululo SeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo Ngamalungelo Omntwana sichaza ngokucacileyo ukuba “uluntu lunembopheleleko yokunika umntwana okona kulungileyo lunokukunikela.”

Kakade ke, ukunika “mntwana ngamnye ikamva elilunge ngakumbi” kuquka okungakumbi kunokubasindisa ekufeni ngaphambi kwexesha. USandra Huffman, umongamelikazi weZiko Lokuthintela Ukungondleki Kwabantwana, kwiphephancwadi iTime uchaza ukuba “iORT ayisithinteli isifo sorhudo, kuphela isindisa abantwana ekubulaweni seso sifo. . . . Ngoku into ekufuneka siyenze,” wongezelela ngelitshoyo, “kukucinga ngendlela esinokusithintela ngayo esi sifo, kungekhona ukuthintela nje ukufa.”

Ukuze kuphuculwe—kuquka nokusindisa—ubomi bezigidi zabantwana, kuye kwamiselwa iinkqubo ezilucelomngeni. (Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 6.) Akukho nanye kuzo ekuya kuba lula ukuyiphumeza.

Amanzi Acocekileyo Afumaneka Kufutshane

UFelicia Onu wayedla ngokuchitha iiyure ezintlanu suku ngalunye ekhelela intsapho yakhe amanzi. Ngokufuthi amanzi awayesiya nawo ekhaya ayeneentsholongwane. (Amanzi anjalo azisa isibetho saminyaka le sesifo esibangelwa ziintshulube aze afak’ isandla nakwisifo sorhudo.) Kodwa ngowe-1984, kwilali ahlala kuyo iUgwulangwu kwimpuma Nigeria, kwagrunjwa iqula kwaza kwafakelwa nempompo.

Ngoku uhamba iimitha ezingamakhulu ambalwa kuphela ukuze afumane amanzi acocekileyo. Abantwana bakhe basempilweni ngakumbi, yaye ubomi bakhe buye balula ngakumbi. Abantu abangaphezu kwewaka lezigidi abanjengoFelicia baqale ukufumana amanzi acocekileyo ebudeni beminyaka yee-1980. Kodwa izigidi zamabhinqa nabantwana zisachitha iiyure ezininzi suku ngalunye zithwele iiemele ezinzima ezinamanzi angaphantsi kunalawo agungxulwa nje kwindlwana yangasese eqhelekileyo kumazwe aseNtshona.

Amahlandinyuka Kwimfundo

UMaximino uyinkwenkwana ekrelekrele eneminyaka eli-11 ubudala ehlala kummandla osemagqagaleni eKholombiya. Ngaphandle kokuchitha iiyure ezininzi ngosuku encedisa uyise ekunyamekeleni izityalo, uqhuba kakuhle esikolweni. Ufunda e-Escuela Nueva, okanye kwiSikolo Esitsha, apho kukho inkqubo elungele zonke iimeko ecetyelwe ukunceda abantwana bafunde oko bekufundwe ngabanye xa bebengekho iintsuku ezimbalwa esikolweni—nto leyo exhaphakileyo, ngokukodwa ngexesha lokuvuna. Kukho abafundisi-ntsapho abambalwa kakhulu kwisikolo esifunda uMaximino. Iincwadi zokufunda zinqongophele. Abantwana bakhuthazwa ukuba bancedane ngoko bangakuqondiyo, ibe kwabona benza umsebenzi omkhulu obandakanyekileyo ekulawuleni isikolo. Le nkqubo intsha—ngokukodwa eyalungiselelwa ukuhlangabezana neentswelo zabantu basemaphandleni abahlwempuzekileyo—iyazanywa nakwamanye amazwe amaninzi.

Kwiikhilomitha ezingamawaka ukusuka eKholombiya, kwisixeko esikhulu saseAsia, kuhlala omnye umntwana okrelekrele oneminyaka eli-11 ubudala, ogama linguMelinda. Kutshanje ushiye isikolo khon’ ukuze anikele iiyure ezili-12 ngosuku eqokelela amasuntswana esinyithi neplastiki kwenye yezona ndawo zinkulu zeso sixeko ekulahlwa kuzo inkunkuma. UMelinda uthi: “Ndifuna ukuncedisa utata ukuze sikwazi ukufumana into etyiwayo yonke imihla. Ukuba bendingamncedisi, besingenakukwazi ukufumana ukutya konke konke.” Kwanangosuku asebenze kakhulu ngalo, ufumana umvuzo oyi-R1,15.

Abasebenzi Bezempilo Abangabantwana

Emaphandleni esixeko saseIndiya iBombay kukho indawo yamatyotyombe ebizwa ngokuba yiMalvani, apho izifo bezizenzela unothanda kangangexesha elide. Ekugqibeleni izinto ziyaphucuka, ngenxa yabasebenzi bezempilo abadlamkileyo abanjengoNeetu noAziz. Batyelela iintsapho behlola enoba abantwana abancinane baye bagonywa kusini na okanye banesifo sorhudo, ukhwekhwe okanye ianemia. UNeetu noAziz baneminyaka eli-11 kuphela ubudala. Baye bazithandela ukusebenza kwinkqubo ekhethekileyo apho abantwana abadala benikwa isabelo sokuba banyamekele impilo yabantwana abangaphantsi kweminyaka emihlanu ubudala. Ngenxa yemigudu kaNeetu noAziz—nemigudu yabanye abantwana abaninzi abafana nabo—phantse bonke abantwana baseMalvani baye bagonywa, inkoliso yabazali iyayazi indlela yokunikela ioral rehydration therapy, yaye nococeko ngokubanzi luye lwaphucuka.

Ehlabathini lonke, kwenziwa inkqubela enkulu ekugonyeni abantwana abasebancinane ukuze bakhuseleke kwezona zifo ziqhelekileyo. (Bona isicangca esikwiphepha 8.) IBangladesh ngoku iye yagonya abantwana bayo abangaphezu kwama-70 ekhulwini, ibe neTshayina iye yagonya ngaphezu kwama-95 ekhulwini. Iingcali zempilo zikholelwa kwelokuba ukuba onke amazwe asakhasayo ebenokufikelela kuma-90 ekhulwini bekuya kugonywa abantwana abaninzi. Xa abaninzi begonyiwe, izifo azisayi kudluliselwa ngokulula.

Ubuhlwempu, Imfazwe NoGawulayo

Sekunjalo, inyaniso ebuhlungu yeyokuba ngoxa kusenziwa inkqubela kwezonyango nasemfundweni, ezinye iingxaki zihlala zimaxongo. Ezintathu zezona zaphul’ izikeyi bubuhlwempu, imfazwe noGawulayo.

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje amahlwempu asehlabathini ebehlwempuzeka ngakumbi nangakumbi. Umvuzo wokwenene kwimimandla enabantu abahlwempuzekileyo eAfrika naseMzantsi Merika uye wehla nge-10 ekhulwini okanye ngaphezulu kwishumi leminyaka edluleyo. Abazali abakula mazwe—apho umvuzo ongama-75 ekhulwini uchithelwa ekutyeni—abakwazi ukondla abantwana babo ngokutya okulungeleleneyo.

UGrace waxelelwa oku kwikliniki yezempilo yasekuhlaleni: ‘Yipha abantwana bakho imifuno neebhanana.’ Kodwa uGrace, unina wabantwana abalishumi, ohlala eMpuma Afrika, akanamali yokuthenga ukutya, yaye akukho manzi aneleyo okukhulisa izityalo kumhlaba wentsapho oziihektare ezisi-0,1. Abanandlela yimbi kodwa bamele baphile ngombona nangeembotyi baze ngamaxesha athile bangatyi kwaphela. Ukuba ezi meko zikhoyo ziyaqhubeka, akukho themba lokuba intsapho kaGrace iya kuphucula okanye izigidi zezinye ezifana neyakhe.

Abantwana bakaGrace, bengamahlwempu ngolo hlobo, baphila ubomi obuphucuke ngakumbi kunobukaKim Seng oneminyaka esibhozo ubudala waseMzantsi-mpuma Asia, oyise wakhe wabulawa kwimfazwe yamakhaya ekwakubulawa kuyo izizalwane nonina owabulawa yindlala emva koko. UKim Seng, naye owaphantse wafa ngenxa yokungondleki, ekugqibeleni wafumana ikhusi kwinkampu yeembacu. Abantwana abaninzi kwabazizigidi ezihlanu abaphila kwiimeko ezingaginyisi mathe kwiinkampu zeembacu ehlabathini lonke baye bathwaxwa bubunzima obufanayo.

Ngasekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane, kuphela sisihlanu ekhulwini sabemi esangxwelerheka emfazweni. Ngoku eloo nani liye landa ngokukhawuleza lafikelela kuma-80 ekhulwini, yaye uninzi lwamaxhoba ezi mfazwe ngamabhinqa okanye abantwana. Abo basenokuba abenzakalanga emzimbeni basabandezelekile ngokweemvakalelo. Omnye umntwana oyimbacu welizwe elisemazantsi ombindi Afrika uthi: “Andinakuyilibala indlela umama awabulawa ngayo. Bamxhakamfula umama wam baza benza izinto ezimasikizi kuye. Emva koko bambophelela baza bamhlaba. . . . Ngamanye amaxesha ndikhe ndikuphuphe oko.”

Njengokuba kusoloko kuqhambuka imilo yogonyamelo kumazwe ngamazwe, kubonakala kungenakuphepheka ukuba abantwana abamsulwa baya kuqhubeka bebandezeleka ngenxa yemiphumo eyonakalisayo yemfazwe. Ngaphezu koko, uxinezeleko lwezizwe ngezizwe lwenzakalisa kwanabantwana abangabandakanyekanga ngokungqalileyo kule milo. Umkhosi usebenzisa intywenka yemali ebinokusetyenziselwa ekulungiseleleni imfundo, ucoceko nezonyango ezilunge ngakumbi. Inkcitho yezomkhosi wehlabathi eyenziwa ngamazwe ahambele phambili kwezorhwebo iyodlula lee imivuzo yanyaka ngamnye yesona siqingatha soluntu sihlwempuzekileyo xa idityanisiwe. Kwanawona mazwe ahlwempuzekileyo angama-46 ehlabathini achitha imali eninzi koomatshini bawo basemkhosini kunaleyo ayichithela kwezempilo nakwimfundo zidityanisiwe.

Ngaphandle kobuhlwempu nemfazwe, kukho omnye umbulali ochwechwela abantwana abasehlabathini. Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1980, ngoxa kwakusenziwa inkqubela ephawulekayo ekulweni imasisi, ukuminxana kwemihlathi nesifo sorhudo, kwavela into entsha eyoyikisayo kwezempilo: uGawulayo. Intlangano Yezempilo Yehlabathi ibala ukuba ngonyaka wama-2000, abantwana abazizigidi ezilishumi baya kuba benaye. Abaninzi kwaba baya kufa ngaphambi kokuba babe neminyaka emibini ubudala, yaye akukho namnye kubo oya kuphila ngaphezu kweminyaka emihlanu. UGqr. Reginald Boulos, ugqirha wabantwana waseHaiti ukhalaza ngelithi: “Ngaphandle kokuba kwenziwe okuthile ngokukhawuleza, uGawulayo usongela ukuphelisa yonke inkqubela esele siyenzile ekusindiseni abantwana kwiminyaka eli-10 edluleyo.”

Ngokusuka kolu hlolisiso lufutshane, kucacile ukuba phezu kwako nje okufeziweyo okufanele kunconywe, injongo ‘yokunika mntwana ngamnye ikamva elilunge ngakumbi’ isengumsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu. Ngaba likho naliphi na ithemba lokuba ngaminazana ithile eli phupha liya kuzaliseka?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 6]

Usukelo Lweminyaka Yee-1990—Ucelomngeni Lokusindisa Abantwana

Amazwe awayekwiNgqungquthela Yehlabathi Ngemicimbi Yabantwana enza izifungo eziqinisekileyo eziliqela. Naku anethemba lokukuphumeza ngonyaka wama-2000.

Ukugonya. Iinkqubo zokugonya ezikhoyo zisindisa abantwana abazizigidi ezithathu nyaka ngamnye. Kodwa izigidi ezibini zabanye zisafa. Ngokugonya ama-90 ekhulwini okanye ngaphezulu abantwana abasehlabathini ukuze bakhuseleke kwezona zifo zixhaphakileyo, uninzi lwabo lunokusindiswa ekufeni.

Imfundo. Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1980, ukubhaliswa kwabantwana esikolweni kwehla kakhulu kuninzi lwawona mazwe ahlwempuzekileyo ehlabathini. Usukelo lukukuguqula oko kuze kuqinisekiswe ukuba ngasekupheleni kweli shumi leminyaka, mntwana ngamnye unethuba lokuya esikolweni.

Ukungondleki. Amagosa eNgxowa-mali Yeemfuno Zabantwana YeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo akholelwa kwelokuba “ekubeni linemigaqo-siseko elungileyo, . . . ihlabathi ngoku likulungele ukondla bonke abantwana abasehlabathini nokoyisa ezona ndlela zimbi zokungondleki.” Acebisa iindlela zokulinciphisa ngesiqingatha inani labantwana abangondlekanga ebudeni beli shumi leminyaka. Ukufeza oko bekunokusindisa abantwana abazizigidi ezili-100 kwindlala.

Amanzi acocekileyo nococeko. Ngowe-1987, iBrundtland Report yathi: “Kumazwe asakhasayo, eyona nto ibonisa ukuba abantu basempilweni kangakanani na kukujonga inani leempompo zamanzi ezifumaneka kufutshane kunokujonga inani leebhedi esibhedlele.” Sithetha nje abantu abangaphezu kwewaka lezigidi abakwazi ukufumana amanzi acocekileyo, yaye abaphindwe kabini ngobuninzi abanazo izindlu zangasese ezicocekileyo. Injongo ikukulungiselela wonke umntu ukuba afumane amanzi akhuselekileyo okusela nezindlu zangasese ezifanelekileyo.

Ukhuseleko. Kwishumi leminyaka elidluleyo, iimfazwe zingxwelerhe abantwana abangaphezu kwezigidi ezihlanu. Abanye abantwana abazizigidi ezihlanu zibashiye bengenamakhaya. Ezi mbacu, kunye nezigidi zabantwana abahlala ezitratweni nabantwana abangabasebenzi, bafuna ukukhuselwa ngokungxamisekileyo. INkomfa Ngamalungelo Omntwana—ngoku eyamkelwe ngamazwe angaphezu kwekhulu—ifuna ukubakhusela bonke aba bantwana kugonyamelo nasekuxhatshazweni.

[Isicangca esikwiphepha 7]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

OONOBANGELA ABAYINTLOKO BOKUFA KWABANTWANA

(Abantwana Abangaphantsi Kweminyaka Emihlanu)

IZIGIDI ZABAFA NYAKA NGAMNYE (Uqikelelo lowe-1990):

0,51 ISIGIDI Unkonkonko

0,79 ISIGIDI Ukuminxana Kwemihlathi

1,0 ISIGIDI Isifo Seengcongconi

1,52 ISIGIDI Imasisi

2,2 IZIGIDI Ezinye Izifo Zokuphefumla

4,0 IZIGIDI Isifo Sorhudo

4,2 IZIGIDI Abanye Oonobangela

Umthombo: I-WHO ne-UNICEF

[Isicangca esikwiphepha 8]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

INKQUBELA EKUGONYENI ABANTWANA KUMAZWE ASAKHASAYO 1980-1988

Umlinganiselo wabantwana abangaphantsi kweenyanga ezili-12 abaye bagonywa

IMINYAKA

1980 1988

IDPT3* 24% 66%

IPOLIYO 20% 66%

ISIFO SEPHEPHA 29% 72%

IMASISI 15% 59%

* IDPT3: Ugonyo oludityanisiweyo LOKUBOLA KOMQALA, LONKONKONKO (PERTUSSIS), noloKUMINXANA KWEMIHLATHI.

UMTHOMBO: I-WHO ne-UNICEF (amanani owe-1980 akayiquki iTshayina)

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

Photo: Godo-Foto