Ukubuka Okwezwe

“Ukufa Okukhulu”

Namuhla kukhona izigidi zezinhlobo zezitshalo nezilwane. Ososayensi bake balinganisela ukuthi kuwo wonke umlando wokuphila emhlabeni, izinhlobo ezithile ziye zashabalala (ngenxa yezifo, ukuntuleka kokudla, nokwehluleka ukuvumelana nezimo) ngesilinganiso esingaphansi kweziyishumi ngonyaka. Manje, iDepartment of Public Information yeUN, ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi lesilinganiso siphakeme ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingamakhulu, mhlawumbe eziyizinkulungwane. Ngo-1970 kwalinganiselwa ukuthi kwakushabalala uhlobo olulodwa usuku ngalunye. Ngo-1990 lesilinganiso sase senyukele kolulodwa ngehora. Ngo-1992 kwakunyamalala uhlobo oluthile njalo ngemizuzu engu-12. Imbangela eyinhloko yalokhu kushabalala iwukunyamalala kwezindawo zokuhlala ezingokwemvelo ngenxa yokuqedwa kwamahlathi, ukwandiswa kwezindawo zasemadolobheni, ukuthuthukiswa kwezindawo zasemaphandleni, nokungcoliswa komoya namanzi. Izazi eziningi zendawo ezungezile zithi leplanethi iphakathi ‘kokufa okukhulu.’ UDkt. Mostafa Tolba, umqondisi ophethe we-Environment Program yeUN uthi: “Ukuba uCharles Darwin ubephila namuhla, umsebenzi wakhe ngokunokwenzeka kakhulu wawungeke ugxile emisukeni kodwa kunalokho ekulandiseni ngokufa kwezinhlobo zokuphila.”

Usizo Oluvela Emazweni Angaphandle—Lwabiwa Kanjani?

Ingabe usizo oluvela emazweni angaphandle lufeza okukhulu ukuze kuzuze abampofu? NgokweHuman Development Report 1992 yeUN, amaphesenti angu-27 kuphela osizo oluvela emazweni angaphandle aya emazweni ayishumi anamaphesenti angu-72 abantu abampofu kakhulu emhlabeni. Amaphesenti angu-40 omphakathi ocebe kakhulu wasemazweni asathuthuka athola usizo olungaphezu koluphindwe kabili kunalolo olunikezwa amaphesenti angu-40 omphakathi ompofu kakhulu. Amazwe aseNingizimu Asia, ahlalisa cishe ingxenye yabantu abampofu kakhulu emhlabeni, athola usizo lwamaRandi angu-14 umuntu ngamunye. Amazwe aseMpumalanga Ephakathi, aneholo eliphindwe kathathu umuntu ngamunye kuneNingizimu Asia, athola amaRandi angu-151 umuntu ngamunye. Lombiko wenezela ukuthi amazwe achitha imali eningi ezikhalini athola usizo oluphindwe kabili umuntu ngamunye kunamazwe ayichitha ngokulinganisela kakhulu. Isabelo esiphansi kakhulu sezimali (cishe amaphesenti angu-7 osizo oluvela ezweni elisiza elinye namaphesenti ayishumi osizo oluvela emazweni amaningana) asizanayo yiso esinakekela izidingo eziyisisekelo zabantu—imfundo, ukunakekelwa kwempilo, amanzi alondekile okuphuza, ukukhucululwa kwendle, ukuhlelwa kwemindeni, nezinhlelo zokulungiselelwa kokudla okunomsoco.

Inhlekelele Yenuzi Engase Ivele

“Umzamo waseNtshonalanga wokuvimbela ukusakazeka kwezikhali zenuzi uye wahluleka, futhi sekuqale inkathi entsha neyingozi kakhulu yokwanda kwenuzi,” kusho iU.S. News & World Report. Manje ukukhetha ababhekene nakho ukusebenzisa amandla ukuze bavimbele izizwe ezintsha ekutholeni inuzi noma “ukufunda ukuphila ezweni lapho cishe zonke izizwe ezifuna izikhali zenuzi zinazo.” Yini eye yaholela kulesimo? “Izinto ezazinzima kakhulu kubantu abahlakaniphile ngo-1943 zilula kubantu abavamile manje,” kusho isazi sesayensi yemvelo nowayengumklami wezikhali zenuzi uRichard Garwin. Izinkinga ezinkulu ezazibekela abantu abahlakaniphe kakhulu inselele ngalesosikhathi manje zingaxazululwa ngecomputer yomuntu siqu. Ngaphezu kwalokho sekuye kwaba lula ngokwengeziwe ngamazwe azimisele ukuba afinyelele ubuchwepheshe obuyinkimbinkimbi obudingekayo ukuze kukhiqizwe ibhomu. Ngomzamo wokuxazulula leligagasi, amazwe angu-27 asayina isivumelwano ngoApril esilinganisela ukuthengiswa kwempahla noma amathuluzi angase asetshenziselwe ukwenza amabhomu eathomu. Nokho, kukhona amagebe amakhulu, njengoba izizwe eziningana ezinekhono lokukhiqiza inuzi noma ezifuna ukuyithola zingazange zihlanganiswe.

Umphakathi WaseAustralia “Odla Amaphilisi”

INational Health Survey yaseAustralia iye yaveza eminye imiphumela eshaqisayo. Lokhu kuhlola kwembula ukuthi umuntu oyedwa waseAustralia kwabangu-50 usebenzisa izidakamizwa nsuku zonke. Abanye abayizingxenye ezintathu kwezine zesigidi bavuma ukuthi babeye basebenzisa izidakamizwa ezinjengeValium neSerepax ngesikhathi esithile emasontweni amabili andulela lokhu kuhlola. Ngokwephephandaba laseSydney iSun-Herald, iNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre ithi kubhalwa izincwadi zikadokotela ezigunyaza ukutholwa kwamabenzodiazepine ezicishe zibe izigidi eziyishumi minyaka yonke nokuthi ayimithi etuswa kakhulu emazweni aseNtshonalanga. Umcwaningi kulesikhungo wathi abantu abaningi abalusebenzisa njalo loluhlobo lwesidakamizwa bangase bangaqapheli ngisho nokuthi eqinisweni bancike ezidakamizweni.

Ubhadane Olusha LwaseAfrika

“Ibhizinisi lezidakamizwa ezidunga izinzwa seliye laba olunye lwezinsongo ezingathi sína ekusimameni nasekuthuthukisweni okungokomnotho kwezwekazi [laseAfrika].” Usho kanjalo uDkt. Simon Baynham weAfrica Institute yaseNingizimu Afrika, ebhala ephephandabeni laseGoli iStar. Ukuhweba ngezidakamizwa kuye kwanda ngokuphawulekayo eAfrika eshumini leminyaka eledlule, njengoba ngokomumo wezwe isendaweni ekahle yokuthumela okuvela eColombia naseAsia. “Ngo-1990, ingxenye yesithathu yeheroin eyenqatshelwe eYurophu yayedluliswe ngendlela yaseAfrika,” kusho uBaynham. Uphawula ukuthi futhi kunokubambisana okukhulayo phakathi kokuhwebelana kwezizwe zonke ngezidakamizwa nezinhlangano zobuphekula. UDkt. Baynham ubhekisela ekuhwebeni ngezidakamizwa eAfrika ‘njengomqedazwe omusha odlanga kakhulu’ lowo “oyonezelwa komaye bempi, indlala, nengculaza baseAfrika.”

Ubisi Olusele Luyalahlwa

Naphezu kokuntuleka okukhulu kokudla, izindawo ezikhiqiza ubisi zaseNingizimu Afrika ziye zalahla izigidi zamalitha obisi eminyakeni emihlanu edlule. Lezindawo ezikhiqiza ubisi zikhokhiswa inhlawulo yiDairy Board, okungabe yenza amalungiselelo okusakaza lolubisi olusele. Kodwa njengoba yayingakakwenzi lokho, umqondisi weNational Milk Distributors Association wathi: “Yini esingayenza? Kumelwe silulahle. Akunangqondo ngokomnotho ukululaza imikhiqizo yethu ngokuphisana ngalo noma ukukhokha ukuze luthathwe.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ezinye izinhlangano ziye zakusola lokhu kuchitha. Umkhandlu Wasebegugile uthi ubisi lulahlwa “ngesikhathi lapho izigidi zabantu baseNingizimu Afrika abagugile behluleka ukuthenga oluncane oludingekayo ukuze baphile.”

AmaJapane Aphila Isikhathi Eside

AmaJapane aphila isikhathi eside kakhulu kunanoma yisiphi esinye isizwe emhlabeni, ngokwezibalo zamuva zeWorld Health Organization. Isilinganiso sesikhathi esilindelekile ngabesifazane eJapane iminyaka engu-82,5, kuyilapho ngamadoda kuyiminyaka engu-76,2. Isilinganiso sesibili esiphakeme kakhulu kwabesifazane, seminyaka engu-81,5, siseFrance, elandelwa eduze iSwitzerland ngeminyaka engu-81,0. Indawo yesibili ngamadoda i-Iceland, ngeminyaka engu-75,4, ilandelwe iGrisi ngeminyaka engu-74,3. Lencwadi yezibalo enamakhasi angu-350 yanikeza futhi amanye amaqiniso athakazelisayo. Isilinganiso esiphakeme kakhulu sokuzala emhlabeni siseRwanda, lapho owesifazane ngamunye enesilinganiso sabantwana abangu-8,3. Izinga lokuzibulala liphansi kakhulu eBahamas, ngabangu-1,3 kulabo nalabobantu abangu-100-000, kuyilapho iHungary inezinga lokuzibulala eliphakeme kunawo wonke, ngabantu abangu-38,2 kulabo nalabo abangu-100 000. Futhi izinga eliphakeme kakhulu lokufa ezingozini zomgwaqo lisezweni elincane laseNingizimu Melika iSuriname, ngabantu abangu-33,5 kulabo nalabo abangu-100 000. Yiliphi eliphansi kakhulu? IMalta, ngezingozi ezimbi ezingu-1,6 kuphela kulabo nalabobantu abangu-100 000.

Umculo Olimazayo

Ukuthi “yehlisa lowomculo!” sekuyisikhathi eside kuwukukhetha kwabazali abacasukile. Abaningi abevé eshumini elinambili leminyaka banomuzwa wokuthi abakwazi ukujabulela umculo wabo uma bengasizwa isigqi sawo. Nakuba umculo okhalela phezulu ngokuvamile uye wahlotshaniswa nokuba yisithulu, umbiko wamuva kuyiGlobe and Mail yaseToronto, eCanada, wachaza ukuthi itinnitus futhi iwumphumela ovamile. Itinnitus “ukunkeneneza, umsindo, ukuduma, ukuqhuma, noma ukuklabalasa ngaphakathi ekhanda, ngokuvamile okuthinta zombili izindlebe. Kodwa [leyoncazelo] ayiwuchazi ngokugcwele lomsindo,” kuchaza leliphepha. Waba nayo, “ngeke [uphinde] ube nokuthula okuphelele,” kusho uElizabeth Eayrs, umxhumanisi weTinnitus Association yaseCanada. Abathinteka kakhulu abantu abafaka amaheadphone abavulela umsindo kakhulu kangangokuthi abanye bawuzwe. Ikhono labo lokujabulela umculo nanoma yimuphi omunye umsindo eminyakeni yabo yakamuva ngokuvamile likhutshazwa ngokungathi sína.

UPapa Uyaxolisa

UPapa John Paul II uye waxolisa kabili ezwekazini laseAfrika ngenxa yokuhweba ngezigqila. Okokuqala kwakungoFebruary, phakathi nohambo lukapapa lokuya eSenegal. Ngalesosikhathi iphephandaba lansuku zonke laseItaly iCorriere della Sera labika ukuthi upapa wanxusa “‘ukuxolelwa izulu’ nokuxolelwa iAfrika ngenxa yobugebengu obungokomlando bobugqila lobo ngisho namaKristu . . . aye angcoliswa yibo.” Ukuxolisa kwesibili, cishe ezinyangeni ezintathu kamuva, kwanikezwa phakathi nokuvakashela kwakhe eSão Tomé. EVatican, upapa wachaza ukuthi “njengoba isonto liwumphakathi owakhiwe nayizoni, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka kuye kwephulwa umyalo wothando. . . . Kwakuyiziphambeko zabantu namaqembu ayezibiza ngegama lamaKristu.” Liphawula “ngokuxolisa kukapapa,” iphephandaba lansuku zonke iRepubblica lathi upapa “wakhuluma ngesono samaKristu ewonke, kodwa kwakufanele futhi akhulume nangawopapa, ngamabandla amaRoma, nangababhishobhi nabefundisi. Eqinisweni, lomlando wobugqila uhlangene futhi necala lokubusa kwesigungu sobuKatolika.”

Asikho Isidingo Searachnophobia

Iarachnophobia (ukwesaba izicabucabu) “ngokuvamile iwumphumela wokunganaki,” kusho umagazini iSouth African Panorama. Ubika ngomsebenzi kaDkt. Ansie Dippenaar, isikhulu esiholayo ngezicabucabu zaseAfrika, uphawula ukuthi amaphesenti angaphansi kuka-0,2 ezinhlobo zezicabucabu zasemhlabeni ezaziwayo ayingozi kumuntu. Endaweni yazo efanele, lezidalwa ezincane kufanele ziphathwe njengabangane, hhayi izitha. Zibalulekile ekulawuleni izilokazane ezidla izitshalo. Isicabucabu esisodwa sohlobo oluthile singabulala izilokazane ezingafinyelela kwezingu-200 ngosuku. Ngokwesibonelo, uma izicabucabu zivunyelwa ukuhlala ensimini yamastrawberry, kungaba nomkhiqizo wamathani angafinyelela kwayisithupha ngehekthare ukwedlula emasimini lapho izicabucabu ziye zabulawa khona. Lesihloko siyanezela, “abalimi kufanele bawulondoloze umphakathi wezicabucabu, kanjalo futhi benciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwezibulali zezilokazane ezibizayo ezenezela ekungcolisweni kwendawo ezungezile.”