Ukufa Okusezimpikweni Ezintekenteke

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNigeria

Akuyona impi ephuma ezihlokweni eziphambili zamaphephandaba; nakuba kunjalo iye yabulala abantu abayizigidi ezingenakubalwa. Akusiyo impi elwiwa ngamabhomu nangezibhamu; nokho endabeni yosizi nokuphila okulahlekayo, idlula lezo ezilwiwa ngaleyondlela. Kulempi, ukufa akuzi ngezinqola ezithwala amabhomu aqhumisa isitha, kodwa kuza ngezimpiko ezintekenteke zomiyane wesifazane.

KUSEBUSUKU; umkhaya ulele. Umiyane ungena ekamelweni lokulala ngokunyenya, izimpiko zawo zibhakuza izikhathi eziphakathi kuka-200 no-500 ngomzuzwana. Ulambele igazi lomuntu. Ngesineke, uhlala engalweni yomfana. Njengoba isisindo sawo singamagremu angu-3/1 000, umfana akanyakazi. Ube usukhipha into ebukhali esasaha engxenyeni ephambili yomlomo wawo ocijile ovula ngayo isikhumba somfana ufinyelele emthanjeni wegazi. Amaphampu amabili asekhanda lawo amunca igazi lakhe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, amagciwane kamalaleveva aphuma ezindlaleni zamathe zomiyane angene egazini lomfana. Ngokushesha umsebenzi usuphelile; umfana akezwa lutho. Umiyane uyandiza uhambe, ugcwele igazi elisiphinda kathathu isisindo somzimba wawo. Kungakadluli izinsuku eziningi, umfana usegulela ukufa. Unomalaleveva.

Lesi isenzakalo esiye saphindwa izikhathi eziyizinkulungwane zezigidi. Umphumela uye waba usizi nokufa ngesilinganiso esikhulu. Ngokungangabazeki, umalaleveva uyisitha somuntu esinonya nesiphikelelayo.

Ukuthungatha Isitha Ngesineke

Kwatholwa enye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu empini yokulwa nomalaleveva, akutholwanga ososayensi abaphambili baseYurophu, kodwa udokotela wokuhlinza weButho Lezempi laseBrithani elizinze eNdiya. Ososayensi nodokotela bekhulu le-19, ngokuvumelana nokucabanga kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngaphambili, bacabanga ukuthi abantu babethola lesifo ngokuhogela umoya ongcolile onomswakama.a Ngokuphambene, uDkt. Ronald Ross wayekholelwa ukuthi lesifo sasidluliswa omiyane sisuswa komunye umuntu siyiswa komunye. Ngisho nalapho sekwaziwa ukuthi umalaleveva wawuhilela amagciwane asegazini lomuntu, abacwaningi baqhubeka becwaninga ukuze bathole imikhondo emoyeni nasemanzini ezindaweni ezinamaxhaphozi. Nakuba kunjalo, uRoss wahlola izisu zomiyane.

Uma kucatshangelwa amathuluzi asendulo ayesezindlini zokucwaninga okwakufanele asebenze ngawo, ukubheka eziswini zomiyane kwakungeyona into elula ukuyenza. Njengoba ayesebenza, iqulu lomiyane kanye nezinye izilokazane ezilumayo kwakumzungeza, kuzimisele, ngokusho kukaRoss, ukuba kuziphindiselele “ngenxa yokufa kwabangane bazo.”

Ekugcineni, ngo-August 16, 1897, uRoss wathola, esiswini somiyane wesifazane othwala umalaleveva, izinto eziyindingilizi ezazikhule ngobusuku obubodwa. Amagciwane kamalaleveva!

Egcwele injabulo, uRoss wabhala encwadini yakhe yamaphuzu ukuthi wayembule imfihlo eyayizosindisa “abantu abaningi.” Wabhala futhi ivesi elisencwadini yeBhayibheli yabaseKorinte: “Kufa, kuphi ukunqoba kwakho na? Kufa, luphi udosi lwakho na?”—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 15:55.

Umonakalo Obangelwa Umalaleveva

Lokho okwatholwa uRoss kwakuyimpumelelo enkulu empini yokulwa nomiyane, eyasiza ekuvuleni indlela yokuhlasela okukhulu nokokuqala kokulwa kwesintu nalesifo kanye nezinambuzane ezisithwalayo.

Engxenyeni enkulu yomlando, ukulahlekelwa kwesintu okubangelwa umalaleveva kuye kwaba kukhulu futhi kwaqhubeka isikhathi eside. Imibhalo elotshwe ngemifanekiso yaseGibithe kanye nemibhalo ye-papyrus iyakufakazela ukubulawa kwabantu abaningi ngumalaleveva okwenzeka eminyakeni engu-1 500 ngaphambi kokuba uKristu aphile kulomhlaba. Wonakalisa amadolobha amahle asezindaweni ezingamathafa zaseGrisi lasendulo futhi wabulala u-Alexander Omkhulu ngesikhathi sokudlondlobala kwakhe. Wabulala abantu abaningi basemadolobheni aseRoma futhi wabangela ukuba abantu abacebile bathuthele ezindaweni eziphezulu ezintabeni. EziMpini Ezingcwele, iMpi Yangaphakathi yaseMelika, kanye nezimpi zomhlaba ezimbili, wabulala amadoda amaningi angaphezu kwalawo afa ezimpini ezinkulu.

E-Afrika umalaleveva wasiza ekutholeleni iNtshonalanga Afrika inkulumo ethi “Ithuna Lomlungu.” Empeleni, lesifo saphazamisa umshikashika weYurophu wokwenza i-Afrika ibe ikoloni kangangoba enye iyunivesithi yaseNtshonalanga Afrika yathi umiyane wawuyiqhawe lesizwe! EMelika Ephakathi, umalaleveva wasiza ekunqobeni imizamo yabantu baseFrance yokwakha uMsele iPanama. ENingizimu Melika, ngesikhathi kwakhiwa umzila wesitimela iMamoré-Madeira eBrazil, kwathiwa umalaleveva wawuthathe ukuphila komuntu ngensika ngayinye yokusekela ujantshi eyabekwa.

Impi Yokunqoba

Ukuzivikela kumiyane, kodwa ngokungazi okwakuwukuzivikela kumalaleveva, kwaqhubeka izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ekhulwini le-16 B.C.E., abantu baseGibithe basebenzisa uwoyela wesihlahla i-Balanites wilsoniana njengento yokuxosha omiyane. Eminyakeni eyinkulungwane kamuva, uHerodotus wabhala ukuthi abadobi baseGibithe ebusuku babemboza imibhede yabo ngamanetha abo ukuze bavimbele lezinambuzane. Eminyakeni engamakhulu ayishumi nesikhombisa kamuva, uMarco Polo wabika ukuthi izakhamuzi ezicebile zaseNdiya zazilala emibhedeni enamakhethini avikelayo ayevalwa ebusuku.

Kwenye indawo, abantu bathola amakhambi emvelo ayenenzuzo yangempela. Iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-2 000, umalaleveva eChina uye welashwa ngokuphumelelayo ngesitshalo okuthiwa i-qinghaosu, ikhambi eliye laphinda latholwa eminyakeni yamuva nje. ENingizimu Melika, amaNdiya asePeru ayesebenzisa igxolo lesihlahla se-cinchona. Ekhulwini le-17, i-cinchona yafika eYurophu, futhi ngo-1820 izazi zokuthakwa kwemithi ezimbili ezidabuka eParis zakhipha kuyo i-alkaloid ebizwa ngokuthi i-quinine.

Izikhali Ezintsha

Inzuzo ye-quinine ekuvimbeleni nasekwelapheni umalaleveva yephuza ukuqashelwa, kodwa lapho isiqashelwa, yaba umuthi otuswayo iminyaka eyikhulu. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kwempi yezwe yesibili, amabutho amaJapane aphanga izitshalo ezibalulekile ze-cinchona eMpumalanga Ekude. Ukuntuleka okukhulu kwe-quinine okwaba umphumela e-United States kwabangela ukuba kwenziwe ukucwaninga okunzulu ukuze kukhiqizwe umuthi owenziwe umuntu wokulwa nomalaleveva. Umphumela waba i-chloroquine, umuthi owawungenangozi, unamandla kakhulu, futhi okwakungesizo izindleko ukuwukhiqiza.

I-chloroquine ngokushesha yaba isikhali esikhulu sokulwa nomalaleveva. Okunye okwasungulwa ngawo-1940 kwakuyisibulala zinambuzane i-DDT, umbulali onamandla womiyane. I-DDT ayibulali nje kuphela omiyane ngesikhathi ichelwa kodwa kamuva insalela yayo ezindongeni ezichelwe ngayo ibulala izinambuzane.b

Ukuhlasela Okunikeza Ithemba

Ngemva kwempi yezwe yesibili, izazi zesayensi zihlome nge-DDT ne-chloroquine zahlela ukuhlasela kokulwa nomalaleveva kanye nomiyane. Lempi yayizoliwa ngezindlela ezimbili—imithi yayizosetshenziselwa ukubulala amagciwane asemzimbeni womuntu, kuyilapho umkhankaso omkhulu wokuchela ngezibulala-zinambuzane wawuzoqothula omiyane.

Lomgomo wawuyimpumelelo ngokuphelele. Umalaleveva kwakufanele uqothulwe ungaphinde ube khona. Lokhu kuhlasela kwakuholwa i-World Health Organization (WHO) eyayisanda kumiswa, eyenza uhlelo lokuqothula lesifo lwaba yinto eyinhloko kuyo. Ukuzimisela kwayo kwaxhaswa ngemali. Phakathi no-1957 no-1967, izizwe zachitha amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3,5 emkhankasweni wembulunga yonke. Imiphumela yokuqala yayimihle ngokukhethekile. Lesifo sanqotshwa eYurophu, eNyakatho Melika, eSoviet Union, e-Australia, nakwamanye amazwe aseNingizimu Melika. UProfesa L. J. Bruce-Chwatt, uchwepheshe kwezokulwa nomalaleveva, waphawula: “Kungaba nzima ukuchaza namuhla intshiseko enkulu eyabangelwa umqondo wokuqothula lesifo eyaba khona kuwo wonke umhlaba phakathi naleyominyaka yokuthula.” Umalaleveva wawuphelelwa amandla! I-WHO ngeqholo yathi: “Ukuqothula umalaleveva sekuyinto engokoqobo esikwaziyo ukuyenza.”

Umalaleveva Uyaziphindiselela

Kodwa ukunqoba kwakungakafinyelelwa. Izizukulwane zomiyane ezasinda ekuhlaseleni kwamakhemikhali zazehlula izibulala-zinambuzane. I-DDT ayibange isababulala kalula njengoba yayenza ngaphambili. Ngokufanayo, amagciwane kamalaleveva akubantu ayehlula i-chloroquine. Lezi kanye nezinye izinkinga zabangela ukuhlehlela emuva okukhulu kwamanye amazwe lapho kwakubonakala sengathi ukunqoba kwakuqinisekile. Ngokwesibonelo, iSri Lanka, lapho okwakucatshangwa ukuthi umalaleveva ekugcineni wawusuqothuliwe ngo-1963, eminyakeni nje emihlanu kamuva yabhekana nomqedazwe owahlasela izigidi.

Ngo-1969 kwase kwamukeleka kabanzi ukuthi umalaleveva wawuyisitha esasingeke sinqotshwe. Esikhundleni sokusebenzisa igama elithi “ukuqothula,” igama elithi “ukulawula” laqala ukuthandeka. Kushiwo ukuthini ngokuthi “ukulawula”? UDkt. Brian Doberstyn, umholi wophiko lukamalaleveva lwe-WHO, uyachaza: “Esingamane sikwenze manje ukuba sizame ukugcina inani labafayo nabahluphekayo lisesilinganisweni esinengqondo.”

Esinye isikhulu se-WHO sazwakalisa ukudabuka: “Ngemva kwemizamo yokuqothula umalaleveva eyenziwa ngawo-1950 kanye nokusetshenziswa kwe-DDT ekulweni nezinambuzane, umphakathi womhlaba wonke uye wadebesela. Ubumpofu, ukuntuleka kwengqala-sizinda, ukwehluleka kwemithi kanye nezibulala-zinambuzane kuye kwaholela ekuphikeleleni kwalesifo. Empeleni, siye sanqotshwa yilesifo.”

Nokho esinye isici siwukuthi izinkampani zemithi ziye zahoxa ekucwaningeni kwazo. Esinye isazi sesayensi kamalaleveva sathi: “Inkinga iwukuthi kudinga imali eningi, kodwa ayikho inzuzo futhi akukho nokukhuthazayo.” Yebo, nakuba izimpi eziningi ziye zanqotshwa, impi yokulwa nomalaleveva isekude kakhulu nokuphela. Nokho, iBhayibheli likhomba esikhathini esiseduze lapho ‘engekho owakhe khona oyakusho ukuthi: Ngiyagula.’ (Isaya 33:24) Kuze kube yilesosikhathi, izifo nokufa kuyolokhu kulethwa yilezimpiko ezintekenteke.

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Impi Phakathi Komiyane Nomuntu

Usongela ngokuqondile cishe ingxenye yesintu, emazweni angaphezu kwayikhulu, ikakhulukazi asezindaweni ezishisayo. I-Afrika ngokukhethekile iyisikhungo sabo.

Omiyane baziwa ngokuthi bathwalwa izindiza ezivela ezindaweni ezishisayo futhi baye bahlasela abantu abahlala eduze nesikhumulo sezindiza ezivela kuwo wonke amazwe.

Abantu Esibahlaselayo. Unyaka ngamunye sigadla kubantu abayizigidi ezingu-270, sibulale cishe izigidi ezimbili. Sinonya ngokukhethekile kwabesifazane abakhulelwe nezingane, ngokwesilinganiso sibulala izingane ezimbili umzuzu ngamunye.

Sihlasela izivakashi ezize ezindaweni ezishisayo. EYurophu kubikwa abantu abathi ababe ngu-10 000 abangenwa isifo sikamalaleveva “esivela kwamanye amazwe” unyaka ngamunye futhi eNyakatho Melika kubikwa abangaphezu kwenkulungwane.

Amacebiso. Umiyane wesifazane othwala umalaleveva uluma abantu ikakhulukazi ebusuku. Umalaleveva futhi udluliselwa komunye umuntu ngokumpontshelwa igazi, ngezinye izikhathi, ngezinaliti ezinawo.

Isintu siye saba nolwazi kanye nezindlela zokulwa naso eminyakeni nje yamuva. Naphezu kwemizamo ebumbene yamazwe angu-105 azama ukunqoba lolubhadane, isintu siyanqotshwa empini.

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Qaphela Ukulunywa Omiyane

Lala umbhede wakho wembozwe ngenetha. Amanetha afakwe isibulala-zinambuzane angcono kakhulu.

Sebenzisa isiphephetha-moya ebusuku uma sikhona, noma ulale emakamelweni anamafasitela kanye neminyango okunesembozo. Uma zingekho izembozo, gcina iminyango namafasitela kuvaliwe.

Ngemva kokushona kwelanga, kutuswa ukuba wembathe izingubo ezinemikhono emide kanye namabhulukwe amade. Imibala engagqamile idonsa omiyane.

Gcoba izinto ezixosha omiyane ezingxenyeni zomzimba ezingavikelwe izingubo. Khetha into yokugcoba ene-diethyltoluamide (deet) noma i-dimethyl phthalate.

Sebenzisa izifutho ezibulala omiyane, izifutho ezibulala izinambuzane, noma ama-coil omiyane.

Umthombo: World Health Organization.

[Umthombo]

H. Armstrong Roberts

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“Awukho ‘Umlingo’ Wokusiqeda”

Nakuba ithemba lokunqoba ngokuphelele libonakala likude, impi yokulwa nomalaleveva isaqhubeka. Emhlanganweni womhlaba wonke ophathelene nomalaleveva eBrazzaville, eCongo, ngo-October 1991, abameleli be-WHO banxusa ukuba uyekwe “umqodo ovamile wokuthi izenzakalo azinakushintshwa” futhi batusa ukuba kube khona umkhankaso omusha wembulunga yonke wokulawula umalaleveva. Iyophumelela kangakanani leyomizamo?

“Awukho ‘umlingo’ wokwelapha umalaleveva,” kwasho umqondisi-jikelele we-WHO uHiroshi Nakajima muva nje. “Khona-ke kufanele silwe nawo ngezindlela eziningi.” Nazi izinhlangothi ezintathu zempi muva nje eziye zaziwa kabanzi:

Izindlela zokugoma. Iminyaka eminingi izazi zesayensi bezilokhu zisebenza zicwaninga ngendlela yokugomela umalaleveva, futhi ngezikhathi ezithile imithombo yezindaba ibika “ngempumelelo” eyenziwayo ekucwaningeni. Inqanda ukuba nethemba elingafanele, i-WHO yaxwayisa “ngenkolelo engamanga yokuthi esikhathini esizayo esiseduze kuzoba khona umuthi wokugomela umalaleveva.”

Enye yezinkinga ekwakheni umuthi wokugoma iwukuthi igciwane likamalaleveva elikumuntu liye laphumelela ngendlela ephawulekayo ekuphebezeni imizamo yokulibulala yesimiso somuntu sokuzivikela komzimba. Ngisho nangemva kweminyaka eminingi yokuhlasela ngokuphindaphindiwe, abantu bamane nje bakwazi ukuzivikela ngokusesilinganisweni. UDkt. Hans Lobel, isazi sezifo eziwumqedazwe ku-U.S. Centers for Disease Control e-Atlanta uyaphawula: “Awumane nje ube nesimiso sokuzivikela komzimba ngemva nje kokuhlaselwa okumbalwa. Ngakho [ngokuzama ukwakha umuthi wokugoma] uzama ukuthuthukisa imvelo.”

Imithi. Njengoba igciwane likamalaleveva liqhubeka liyehlula imithi ekhona, i-WHO ithuthukisa umuthi omusha okuthiwa i-arteether, owakhiwa ngokuthile okukhishwe ekhambini laseChina i-qinghaosu.c I-WHO ithemba ukuthi i-qinghaosu ingase ibe umthombo wesigaba esisha ngokuphelele semithi engokwemvelo, umphakathi womhlaba ongakwazi ukuyithola ingakapheli iminyaka eyishumi.

Amanetha okumboza umbhede. Okusasebenza ngokuphumelelayo yilesivikelo sokuvimbela omiyane esesinezinkulungwane ezimbili zeminyaka sikhona. Ngokuvamile omiyane ababangela umalaleveva bahlasela ebusuku, futhi inetha liyabavimbela. Okusebenza ngokuphumelela kakhulu amanetha acwiliswe kusibulala-zinambuzane, njenge-permethrin. Ukuhlola okwenziwa eAfrika kubonisa ukuthi emaphandleni lapho kwasetshenziswa khona amanetha okumboza umbhede acwiliswe kulomuthi, inani labantu ababulawa umalaleveva lancipha ngamaphesenti angu-60.

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Kuthiwani Ngokuya Ezindaweni Ezishisayo?

Uma uhlela ukuya endaweni lapho umalaleveva ewusongo khona, kufanele wenze lokhu okulandelayo:

1. Bonana nodokotela wakho noma isikhungo sokugoma.

2. Zilandele kahle iziyalezo ozinikeziwe, futhi uma uphuza umuthi wokulwa nomalaleveva qhubeka uwuphuza amasonto amane ngemva kokuba ususukile endaweni enomalaleveva.

3. Zivikele ekulunyweni umiyane.

4. Zazi izimpawu zikamalaleveva: umkhuhlane, izinhlungu zekhanda, ukuqaqamba kwemisipha, ukuhlanza, futhi/noma isifo sohudo. Khumbula ukuthi umalaleveva ungaqala ukubonakala obala esikhathini esingangonyaka ngemva kokuba ususukile endaweni enomalaleveva ngisho nakuba wawuyisebenzisa imithi yokulwa nomalaleveva.

5. Uma unezimpawu zawo, bonana nodokotela. Umalaleveva ungadlanga ngokushesha futhi ungabangela ukufa engakapheli amahora angu-48 ngemva kokubonakala kwezimpawu zokuqala.

Umthombo: World Health Organization.

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H. Armstrong Roberts