Ukutyhaphaka Kwasemlanjeni—Ukoyisa Esi Sibetho Sibi

NGUMBHALELI KAVUKANI! ENIGERIA

LO MBONO wawufana twatse noko sidla ngokukubona ngasemilanjeni kwiilali ezininzi zaseNtshona Afrika. Iqela labantu lalihleli ezibhankini emthunzini womthi omkhulu owawubakhusele kuloo ngqatsini yelanga. Abahlanu kubo—amadoda amane nebhinqa—babeziimfama ngokupheleleyo nangokusisigxina.

“Babengasazi isizathu sokutyhaphaka kwabo kuloo lali yamhlamnene,” yatsho njalo inkosi yelali, eyayifake umwunduzo omhlophe. “Inkoliso yabantu abalupheleyo apho bafa beziimfama. . . . Babecinga ukuba kwakukho moya uthile ungcolileyo owawunxamnye nabo. Bakhunga kwizithixo zabo ukuba zibakhusele. Ookhokho babo babaxelela ukuba bazinike ukudla izithixo zabo. Ngoko baxhela iinkuku neegusha benza ngazo amadini. Kodwa baqhubeka betyhaphaka.”

Ethubeni, kwafika oogqirha baza babachazela ukuba oko kutyhaphaka kwakungaveli kwelemimoya. Kwakubangelwa sisifo ionchocerciasis, okanye ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni, esibizwa ngaloo ndlela ngenxa yokuba izinambuzane ezincinane ezilumayo, ezisisasazayo zizalela amaqanda azo kwimilambo equkuqela ngamandla.

Ngethamsanqa, isifo sokutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni asifumaneki lula njengezinye izifo zemimandla ekweleenjiko. Asisosisongelo kubemi basezixekweni nakwabo batyelela ithuba elifutshane kummandla onaso. Ukutyhaphaka kubakho kuphela emva kokusulelwa kangangeminyaka emininzi.

Noko ke, ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kusisifo esoyikekayo kweleenjiko, esiphanzisa ubomi babantu abazizigidi. Nangona sibhuqa kweminye imimandla yaseMbindi Mpuma nakuleyo ikuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika, abona bantlithwa kanobom ngabo basebenza nabahlala kufuphi nemilambo enezinambuzane ezininzi ekumbindi weAfrika. Kwezinye iilali phantse wonk’ ubani unesi sifo. IThe Carter Center eAtlanta, eGeorgia, eUnited States, iqikelela ukuba abantu abamalunga ne-126 lezigidi basesichengeni sokusulelwa. Abanye abantu abali-18 lezigidi bathwele emizimbeni yabo iintshulube ezimfimfithayo ezibangela ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni. Inani labantu abasele benorhatyazo okanye abamfameke kwaphela liqikelelwa phakathi kwesigidi esinye nezibini.

Ngoku, esi sibetho seenkulungwane siyathonyalaliswa yimigudu emanyeneyo yeWHO (World Health Organization [iNtlangano Yezempilo Yehlabathi]) namanye amaziko, nangoorhulumente bamazwe ngamazwe. Phezu kwabo nje ubutshaba nokuphelelwa lithemba okugqubayo kummandla omkhulu weAfrika, le yinkqubo yokulwa izifo ephumelelayo. Le nkqubo idunyiswa “njengolunye loloyiso olukhulu kwezonyango nakwinkqubela kule nkulungwane yamashumi amabini.”

Isifo Esibi

Ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kusasazwa ziindidi eziliqela zesinambuzanekazi esimnyama (uhlobo iSimulium). Xa esi sinambuzane sisulelayo siluma umntu, sishiya imibungu yentshulube emfimfithayo (iOnchocerca volvulus). Ngokuthe ngcembe, ngaphantsi kolusu lwabantu abasulelweyo, le mibungu iyakhula ize ibe ziintshulube ezinobude obumalunga nama-60 eesentimitha.

Emva kokuchuma, nganye kwiintshulube ezizalayo iqalisa ukuvelisa iintshulube ezincinane ezibizwa ngokuba ziimicrofilaria; ziqhubeka noku kangangeminyaka esi-8 ukusa kweli-12, zivelisa izigidi zazo. Iimicrofilaria azikhuli zide zigqibelele ngaphandle kokuba zixhwilwa sisinambuzane esimnyama, zize zikhule ngaphakathi kweso sinambuzane, zandule ke zidluliselwe kwakhona emntwini. Ubukhulu becala, ezi ntshulube zingakhulanga zagqibelela ziyaluzela apha eluswini yaye ekugqibeleni zisenokuhlasela amehlo. Zinokude zibe ngama-200 ezigidi iintshulube eziba libubu kwixhoba elinye. Zininzi kangangokuba ukuxilongwa kuquka ukuxhwithwa kwezicwili ezincinane zolusu ukuze zihlolwe. Kwakujongwa ngesibonakhulu, kweso sicwili solusu kusenokubonwa amakhulukhulu ezi ntshulube zincinane engungelene ndawonye.

Ezi zimfimfithi ziyabathuthumbisa abantu abangamaxhoba azo. Emva kweminyaka ulusu lwabantu abasulelweyo luba gadalala luze lube namaxolo. Ngokufuthi luye luphume izibhaxu ezibi. Amaxhoba aye abe noko kubizwa ngokucacileyo ngokuba lulusu lwengwenya, ulusu lwecikilishe, okanye ulusu lwehlosi. Arhawuzelelwa kanobom, nto leyo ekubikwa ukuba ikhokelela abanye ekubeni bazibulale. Ukuba, ekuhambeni kwethuba ezi ntshulube zincinane zihlasela amehlo, aba norhatyazo lize ixhoba libe yimfama ngokupheleleyo.

Kwimimandla ehlwempuzekileyo yasemaphandleni, apho sixhaphake khona esi sinambuzane simnyama, ukutyhaphaka kuluxanduva ekunzima ngokukhethekileyo ukulunyamezela. Isizathu soku sikukuba abemi abaninzi basezilalini banenkolelo yokuba ukutyhaphaka kungumphumo wesohlwayo sikaThixo neyokuba iimfama aziloncedo nganto kwisizwe sabo. Esinye isizathu sikukuba akukho zingenelo zokwentlalo zifumanekayo kurhulumente, nto leyo eyenza ukuba amaxhoba axhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kwiintsapho zawo. USata, ibhinqa elilixhoba lokutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni eBurkina Faso, wathi: “Kwimfama, nokuba iyindoda okanye ilibhinqa, ukubandezeleka kuyafana. Ukuba intombi iyimfama yaye ayitshatanga, ayisayi kuze iyifumane indoda. Ndatshata ngaphambi kokuba ndibe yimfama, kodwa umyeni wam wafa. Umntakwethu waba yimfama xa wayeselula waza ngoko akabi nakufumana mfazi. Sobabini sinyanyekelwa ziintsapho zethu—ngokutya, ngento yonke. Kubi ngenene.”

Kwimimandla apho ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kuxhaphakileyo, abantu ngokufuthi bayazishiya iilali zabo, benyanzelwa sesi sinambuzane nasesi sifo ukuba basabe. Umhlaba ochumileyo ogudle umlambo uba sesichengeni sokushiywa uze ube ngumqwebedu. Oku, kungunozala wobuhlwempu nendlala.

Ukulwa Esi Sinambuzane Simnyama

Amalinge azwenibanzi okulwa noku kutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kumazwe asixhenxe akwiNtshona Afrika aqalisa ebutsheni beyee-1970. Ixhobe ngemichiza yokutshabalalisa imibungu yesi sinambuzane, kwanesifo saso, imikhosi yeehelikopta, iinqwelo-moya ezincinane neelori yasiphumel’ iphulo isinambuzane esimnyama, esithwele esi sifo. Yayijolise ekusihlaseleni ize isibulale esi sinambuzane simnyama singekabi namandla—ngethuba laxa sisengumbungu.

Kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba batyhefe yonke imilambo. Iingcali zazisazi ukuba izinambuzanekazi ezimnyama zibeka amaqanda azo emanzini kwanokuba la maqanda anamathela emasebeni emithi nakumatye angaphantsi kwamanzi kwimilambo equkuqela ngamandla. Ngamanzi aqukuqela ngokukhawuleza kuphela athi anike le mibungu isandul’ ukuzalwa ioksijini eyaneleyo ukuze ibe nokuphila. Oku kwakutheth’ ukuba zazimbalwa iindawo eyayikhula kuzo kummandla ogudle imilambo yaye zaziphawuleka.

Injongo yokutshizwa kweendawo eyayikhula kuzo yayingekokuzitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ezi zinambuzane zimnyama, ekubeni oko kungenakwenzeka. Kodwa iingcali zazithemba ukuba, ngokunciphisa inani lezi zinambuzane, umngcelele wokudluliselwa kwezi zimfimfithi wawunokwaphulwa. Okukhona zisiba mbalwa ezi zinambuzane kokukhona esiba mbalwa namathuba okusulelwa. Kwakukho uluvo lokuba, ukuba ezi zinambuzane zazinokuthintelwa de izimfimfithi ezikhoyo zife ngokuthe ngcembe kubantu abasele besulelwe, kwakuya kufika ixesha laxa kwakungayi kubakho zimfimfithi ziseleyo. Ngoko, ukuba esi sinambuzane sasithi silume umntu, sasingayi kunqakula zimfimfithi kuye size sizidlulisele kwabanye.

Eli phulo lalilucelomngeni. Ezi zinambuzane zazizalela kwiindawo ezininzi ekwakunzima ukuzifikelela. Kwakhona, ekubeni zinokubhabha kangangamakhulukhulu eekhilomitha, ezi zinambuzane zimnyama kwakufuneka ziliwe kummandla omkhulu. Ngaphezu koko, kwakufuneka bephaphe ngokukhethekileyo ekubeni ukungakhathali inyanga nje enye kwakunokuphumela ekuvumbulukeni kwakhona kwenzala yesi sinambuzane, nto leyo ebiya kuwusingela phantsi umsebenzi weminyaka.

Ukususela ngeyee-1970, iinqwelo-moya ziye zatshiza umgama ongaphezu kwe-19 000 eekhilomitha kwimisinga ekhethiweyo ekwanti yamanzi. Ngenxa yoko, kwapheliswa malunga nama-80 ekhulwini esi sifo kwimimandla eyayichatshazelwe siso kuloo mazwe ayenenxaxheba kweli phulo.

Ipilisi Enye Okanye Ezimbini Kanye Ngonyaka

Ngoko, ukususela ngowe-1987, kwaveliswa esinye isixhobo sokulwa nxamnye nokutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni. Ngesi sihlandlo, endaweni yokuhlasela isinambuzane esimnyama, ixhoba yayizizimfimfithi ezingaphakathi emzimbeni womntu. Isixhobo yayisisiyobisi esikhuselekileyo nesisebenzayo esibizwa ngokuba yiMectizan (ivermectin), esaveliswa kwiilabhoratri zenkampani exuba amayeza yaseMerika.

Ukuze athintele ukuhambela phambili kwesi sifo, umntu osulelweyo kufuneka asele kanye—ipilisi enye okanye ezimbini—nyaka ngamnye. IMectizan ayizibulali iintshulube ezimfimfithayo ezikhule zagqibelela emzimbeni, kodwa iyazibulala iintshulube ezincinane ize ithintele ezo zikhule zagqibelela ukuba zingavelisi iimicrofilaria ezingakumbi. Oku kuyasithibaza esi sifo kwixhoba elo kuze kuwanciphise amathuba okudluliselwa kwaso kwabanye. Esi siyobisi sikwalungisa nomonakalo osandul’ ukudaleka kwinwebu yeliso size sithintele ezinye ekwenzakaleni. Noko ke, asikwazi kuwulungisa umonakalo osele unethuba elide ukho elisweni, singakwazi nokubuyisela ukubona kwabo sele betyhaphakile.

Noko ke, ingxaki ibe sekusisasazeni esi siyobisi—sifikelele kubantu abasifunayo. Inkitha yabantu abahlala kwiilali ezisemagqagaleni nezikwanti inokufikeleleka kuphela ngeenyawo. Ukuza ngesithuthi ngokufuthi kuye kufune ukuba kukhuculwe amahlathi okanye kude kwakhiwe neebhulorho. Maxa wambi iimbambano zasekuhlaleni, ukunqaba kwemali neepolitiki zasekuhlaleni ziye zifak’ isandla kubunzima bokusisasaza. Kanti, phezu kwayo nje le miqobo, ebutsheni bowe-1995 kwakusasazwe malunga nama-31 ezigidi zeepilisi iMectizan, ubukhulu becala eAfrika.

Amathemba Ekamva

Kwiminyaka engama-20 edluleyo, iOnchocerciasis Control Programme (Inkqubo Yokuthintela Izifo Ezibangelwa Ziintshulube) iye yakulwa ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kumazwe ali-11 akwiNtshona Afrika, mmandla lowo oyiphindaphinda kathathu iFransi ngobukhulu. Ibe yintoni imiphumo? Ngokwamanani eWHO, amachiza okutshabalalisa imibungu yesi sinambuzane kwakunye neMectizan aye anceda ekukhuseleni ngaphezu kwabantu abangama-30 ezigidi ababekhe basongelwa sesi sibetho sibi samhlamnene. Abantu abangaphezu kwe-1,5 lezigidi ababesulelwe ngamandla sisimfimfithi ngoku baphile ngokupheleleyo. Ngaphezu koko, oku koyiswa kokutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni kwenza nokuba kufumaneke malunga nama-25 ezigidi zeehektare zomhlaba onokulinywa—mhlaba lowo owaneleyo ukuba ungondla i-17 lezigidi zabantu nyaka ngamnye.

Idabi alikazukuphela. Amazwe aseAfrika apho kuye kwaliwa khona ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni anenani elingaphantsi kwesiqingatha sabantu abasongelwa sesi sifo.

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje imigudu yokulwa esi sifo iye yaqina ngakumbi. Kwisithuba nje seminyaka emibini, ukususela ngowe-1992 kuse kowe-1994, inani labantu abanyangwe ngeMectizan liphindaphindeke ngaphezu kwesibini, ukususela kwi-5,4 kuse kwi-11 lezigidi. Ngasekupheleni kowe-1994 amazwe anokuba ngama-32 eAfrika, kuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika nakuMbindi Mpuma aye aseka iinkqubo zokunyanga ngeMectizan, ezinokuthi ekuhambeni kwethuba zikhusele malunga nama-24 ezigidi zabantu ekutyhaphakeni.

IPan American Health Organization ithemba ukusiphelisa isisongelo sesi sifo kwimpilo kawonke-wonke kumazwe aseMerika ngonyaka wama-2002. Kambe ke, eAfrika akuzukuba lula kangako. Noko ke, iUnited Nations Children’s Fund iphawula oku: “Sele kucacile ukuba kwisizukulwana esikhulayo ngoku ukutyhaphaka akusosisongelo sikhulu sekamva njengoko kwakukhe kwanjalo ngaphambili, kummandla apho ukumfameka kuye kangangethuba elide kwaba yinxalenye eqhelekileyo yokwaluphala.”

Kuyakhuthaza ukubona amalinge enziwayo okunceda abantu abasongelwa kukutyhaphaka. Ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni, uYesu Kristu wakwabonisa inkxalabo yothando ngabantu ngokubuyisela ngokungummangaliso ukubona kwabaninzi ababeziimfama. (Mateyu 15:30, 31; 21:14) Oku kwabonisa ngomkhamo omncinane oko kuya kwenzeka emhlabeni eBukumkanini bukaThixo. Eneneni, liyeza ixesha laxa kungayi kubakho bani uthwaxwa bubumfama balo naluphi na uhlobo. ILizwi likaThixo lixela kwangaphambili ukuba: “Aya kuvulwa amehlo eemfama.”—Isaya 35:5.

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 11]

“Babedla ngokuthi oku kutyhaphaka kuvela kwelemimoya. Ngoku, bayazi ukuba ziintshulube”

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 13]

Ipilisi enye okanye ezimbini ngonyaka zinokukuthintela ukutyhaphaka kwasemlanjeni