Isifo Seswekile—“Umbulali Ongaqondakaliyo”
XA WAYENEMINYAKA engama-21 ubudala, uKen waqala ukunxanwa into engapheliyo. Yaye kwafuneka aquqe ebuyelela ukuya kuchama—yaye ekugqibeleni wayesiya rhoqo emva kwemizuzu engama-20. Kungekudala emva koko uKen watyhafa amalungu omzimba. Wayesoloko ediniwe, yaye waqalisa ukungaboni kakuhle.
Le meko yaba mandundu ngakumbi xa uKen wahlaselwa yintsholongwane ethile. Ugqirha wathi uKen akanamkhuhlane nje kuphela—unaso nesifo seswekile esibizwa ngokuba yi-Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Esi sifo sibangela ukuba umzimba ungakwazi ukusebenzisa izondlo ezithile, ngokuyintloko iswekile esegazini ekuthiwa yi-glucose. UKen wahlala iiveki ezintandathu esibhedlele ngaphambi kokuba iswekile esegazini lakhe ibe kumlinganiselo ofanelekileyo.
Oku kwenzeka kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 eyadlulayo, yaye ngoku indlela yokunyanga esi sifo sele iphucuke ngokuphawulekayo. Sekunjalo, uKen usenesifo seswekile, yaye asinguye yedwa onaso. Ehlabathini lonke, kuqikelelwa ukuba bangaphezu kwezigidi ezili-140 abantu abanale ngxaki, yaye ngokutsho kweWorld Health Organization, elo nani linokuphindeka kabini ngonyaka wama-2025. Ngoko ke, siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba iingcali zixhalatyiswe kangaka kukwanda kwesifo seswekile. UGqr. Robin S. Goland, olisekela-malathisi kwiziko lokunyanga iswekile eUnited States uthi: “Xa sicinga ngobuninzi babantu abanesi sifo, singathi esi isesisiqalo nje.”
Khawuqwalasele le ngxelo imfutshane ivela kumazwe ngamazwe.
EOSTRELIYA: Ngokutsho kweAustralia’s International Diabetes Institute, “isifo seswekile sesinye sezifo ekunzima ukuzinyanga kule nkulungwane yama-21.”
EINDIYA: Ubuncinane bamalunga nezigidi ezingama-30 abantu abanesifo seswekile. Omnye ugqirha uthi: “Malunga neminyaka eli-15 edluleyo sasingafane simfumane umntu onesifo seswekile oneminyaka engaphantsi kwama-40. Kodwa namhlanje kubantu abanesifo seswekile, umntu omnye kwababini ungaphantsi kwale minyaka.”
ESINGAPORE: Phantse umntu omnye kwabathathu kubemi abaphakathi kweminyaka engama-30 nengama-69 ubudala unesifo seswekile. Kufunyaniswe ukuba abantwana abaninzi—bambi kubo baneminyaka nje elishumi—banesi sifo.
EUNITED STATES: Bamalunga nezigidi ezili-16 abantu abathwaxwa sesi sifo, yaye nyaka ngamnye esi sifo sihlasela abantu abamalunga nama-800 000. Baninzi ngakumbi abantu abanesi sifo nangona bona bengakwazi oko.
Eyona nto yenza kube nzima nangakumbi ukunyanga isifo seswekile kukuba, umntu onesi sifo unokuhlala ixesha elide engabonwa ukuba unaso. Iphephancwadi iAsiaweek lithi, “Ekubeni iimpawu zaso zokuqala zingaqondakali kakuhle, isifo seswekile sidla ngokungabonwa ngokukhawuleza.” Ngoko ke, isifo seswekile sibizwa ngokuba ngumbulali ongaqondakaliyo.
Ngenxa yokwanda nokuba nzulu kwale ngxaki, kumanqaku alandelayo kuza kuphendulwa le mibuzo:
● Sibangelwa yintoni isifo seswekile?
● Abantu abanesifo seswekile bangamelana njani naso?
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4, 5]
Imvelaphi Yegama Lesi Sifo
Igama elithi “diabetes mellitus” livela kwigama lesiGrike elithetha “ukutyhutyha” nakwigama lesiLatin elithetha “ukuba nencasa njengobusi.” La magama asichaza kakuhle isifo seswekile, kuba umntu onale ngxaki uthi egqiba nje ukusela amanzi kufuneke aye kuchama. Ukongezelela koko, umchamo wakhe uba nencasa yeswekile. Enyanisweni, ngaphambi kokuba kubekho ubugcisa bale mihla, enye yeendlela ezazisetyenziswa ukuhlola isifo seswekile yayikukugalela umchamo waloo mntu kufuphi nesiduli seembovane. Ukuba iimbovane ziya kuloo mchamo, oku kwakubonisa ukuba loo mchamo uneswekile.