Isifo Samathambo—Sikushiya Ungumlwelwe
“SOZE UYIQONDE INDLELA ESIBUHLUNGU NGAYO DE UBE UNASO. MNA NDANDICINGA UKUBA EKUPHELA KWENDLELA YOKUFUMANA ISIQABU KUKUFA.”—USETSUKO, WASEJAPAN.
“EKUBENI SANDIQALA NDINEMINYAKA ELI-16 UBUDALA, NDIVAKALELWA KUKUBA ESI SIFO SANDIHLUTHA IMIHLA YOBUTSHA BAM.”—UDARREN, WASEGREAT BRITAIN.
“IMINYAKA EMIBINI YOBOMI BAM NDAYICHITHELA EMANDLALWENI.”—UKATIA, WASEITALI.
“AYESITHI AKUQAQAMBA AMALUNGU, UBOMI BAM BUZALISWE ZIINTLUNGU.”—UJOYCE, WASEMZANTSI AFRIKA.
LA NGAMAZWI abangela usizi amaxhoba esifo samathambo. Isifo samathambo sithumela izigidi ngezigidi zabo banaso koogqirha nyaka ngamnye, befuna isiqabu kwintlungu, ukungakwazi ukuhamba, nokungakwazi ukuzenzela nto esikubangelayo.
EUnited States nje kuphela, isifo samathambo sichaphazela abantu abazizigidi ezingama-42, sishiya umntu om-1 kwaba-6 engumlwelwe. Enyanisweni, isifo samathambo singunobangela ophambili oshiya abantu bengakwazi kuzenzela nto kwela lizwe. INational Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ithi, igalelo lesi sifo kwezoqoqosho “liyafana nelo libangelwa kukudodobala kwezoqoqosho,” kuba sidla abantu baseMerika ngaphezu kwama-524 amawaka ezigidi zeerandi nyaka ngamnye emayezeni nasekudodobaleni kwemveliso. Ngokutsho kweWorld Health Organization, uhlolisiso olubandakanya amazwe asakhasayo, njengeBrazil, iChile, i-Indiya, i-Indonesia, iMalaysia, iMexico, iPakistan, iiPhilippines, iThailand neTshayina, lwabonisa ukuba uxanduva olubangelwa sisifo samathambo kula mazwe phantse “luyafana nakumazwe ahambele phambili kwezoqoqosho.”
Yintsom’ emini into yokuba isifo samathambo sihlasela abantu abasele bekhulile kuphela. Liyinyaniso elokuba sibachaphazela kakhulu abantu njengoko bekhula. Kodwa olunye uhlobo oluxhaphakileyo lwesi sifo olubizwa ngokuba yirheumatoid arthritis, luhlasela abo baneminyaka ephakathi kwama-25 nengama-50 ubudala. EUnited States, malunga nabantu aba-3 kwaba-5 abanesifo samathambo baneminyaka engaphantsi kwengama-65 ubudala. Ngokufanayo, eGreat Britain, kubantu abazizigidi ezi-8 abanesi sifo, abali-1,2 lezigidi bangaphantsi kweminyaka engama-45 ubudala. Ngaphezu kwe-14 500 ngabantwana.
Nyaka ngamnye inani labantu abanesifo samathambo linyuka ngokukhawuleza. EKhanada, kwishumi leminyaka elizayo, inani labantu abanesifo samathambo liza kunyuka ngesigidi. Ngoxa isifo samathambo sixhaphakile eYurophu kunaseAfrika naseAsia, esi sifo siyanda nakula mazwekazi akhankanywe mva. Ukwanda kwesifo samathambo kubangele ukuba iWorld Health Organization ivakalise unyaka wama-2000-2010 njengeShumi Leminyaka Lamathambo Namalungu. Ngeli xesha oogqirha neengcali zezonyango ehlabathini lonke ziya kusebenzisana ngelokuzama ukuphucula umgangatho wobomi kwabo banezifo ezichaphazela izihlunu namathambo njengesifo samathambo.
Luhamba luye kuma phi ulwazi ngesi sifo sibuhlungu kangaka? Ngoobani abasengozini yokusifumana? Abo banesifo samathambo banokuhlangabezana njani nokushiywa beyimilwelwe sesi sifo? Ngaba ikamva liza nohlobo oluthile lonyango? Amanqaku alandelayo aza kuyishukuxa le mibandela.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]
X ray: Used by kind permission of the Arthritis Research Campaign, United Kingdom (www.arc.org.uk)