Sebenzisa Imithi Ngokuhlakanipha

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ENIGERIA

OWESIFAZANE wakhononda ngobuhlungu bekhanda nezinhlungu zesisu. Udokotela wakhuluma naye isikhashana. Khona-ke wabe esegunyaza imijovo kamalaleveva yezinsuku ezintathu, i-paracetamol (acetaminophen) yokuqeda ubuhlungu bekhanda, imithi emibili yokudambisa lokho okungenzeka kwakuyisilonda esiswini, izidambisa-mizwa zokukhathazeka, futhi ekugcineni, nemithi yamavithamini. Izindleko zazimba eqolo, kodwa lona wesifazane akazange enqabe. Wahamba ejabule, eqiniseka ngokuthi lemithi yayizozixazulula izinkinga zakhe.

Ukubonana nodokotela okunjalo kuvamile eNtshonalanga Afrika. Ukuhlolwa kwelinye izwe elikhulu lapho kwabonisa ukuthi izisebenzi zezempilo emitholampilo yomphakathi zigunyaza isilinganiso semithi ehlukene engu-3,8 esigulini ngasinye njalo lapho sivakasha. Eqinisweni, kubantu abaningi, udokotela owusizo yilowo ogunyaza imithi eminingi.

Mhlawumbe ukuthembela emithini kwabaseNtshonalanga Afrika kuyaqondakala lapho ucabangela ukuthi isimo sempilo sasinjani. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-40 edlule, umlobi uJohn Gunther wabhala ngezikhathi zakudala: “LoLugu Lwezigqila aluzange . . . lubulale abansundu kuphela; lwabulala nabamhlophe, futhi luyingxenye ye-Afrika eyaziwa emlandweni ngokuthi ‘iThuna Labamhlophe.’ Emakhulwini eminyaka amaningi, isinambuzane esasiyingozi kakhulu oGwini lwaseGuinea kwakuwumiyane. I-yellow fever, i-blackwater fever, umalaleveva, kwakuyizikhali zekhethelo nezibhubhisayo zalesi sinambuzane. Ububi besimo sezulu sasoGwini oluseNtshonalanga abuyona indaba yomlando odlule, kodwa busakhumbuleka kubantu. Indaba ethile ethandwayo ikhuluma ngesikhulu sikahulumeni esazithola sithunyelwe eNigeria esikhathini esingeside esidlule, futhi sabuza ngempesheni yaso. ‘Impesheni?’ kuphendula umphathi waso eHhovisi Lesifunda. ‘Wethu, akukho muntu oya eNigeria ophila isikhathi eside ngokwanele ukuba athathe umhlalaphansi.’”

Izikhathi zishintshile. Namuhla, kunemithi engalwi kuphela nezifo ezisakazwa omiyane kodwa elwa nezinye izifo eziningi. Imithi yokugoma ngokwayo iye yalinciphisa ngokumangalisayo izinga lababulawa isimungumungwana, umpenge, umhlathi-ngqi, ne-diphtheria. Ngenxa yemithi yokugoma, ingxibongo isiqediwe. Uvendle nalo ngokushesha lungase lube isifo sangesikhathi esidlule.

Yingakho abantu abaningi base-Afrika namuhla beyethemba kangaka imithi. Yiqiniso, ukuthemba okunjalo akugcini eNtshonalanga Afrika kuphela. E-United States, odokotela babhala izincwadi ezigunyaza imithi ezingaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-55 minyaka yonke. EFrance abantu bathenga isilinganiso samabhokisi amaphilisi angu-50 unyaka ngamunye. Kanti eJapane umuntu ovamile uchitha amaRandi angaphezu kuka-1700 ngonyaka emithini yokwelapha.

Izinzuzo Ziqhathaniswa Nezingozi

Imithi yanamuhla iye yafeza okukhulu ekusizeni isintu. Lapho isetshenziswa ngokufanele, ithuthukisa impilo enhle, kodwa lapho isetshenziswa ngokungafanele, ingalimaza futhi ize ibulale. Ngokwesibonelo, e-United States abantu abangaba ngu-300 000 balaliswa esibhedlela unyaka ngamunye ngenxa yokusabela kabi emithini yokwelapha, kanti kufa abangu-18 000.

Ukuze imithi isetshenziswe ngokuhlakanipha, kubalulekile ukuqaphela ukuthi kuhlala kunethuba lengozi. Noma imuphi umuthi, ngisho ne-aspirin, ungaba nemiphumela emibi elimazayo. Ithuba lokuvela kwemiphumela emibi liyanda uma uphuza imithi eminingi ngasikhathi sinye. Ukudla neziphuzo nakho kuthonya indlela umuthi osebenza ngayo emzimbeni wakho futhi kungathuthukisa noma kudambise ukusebenza kwawo.

Kunezinye izingozi. Kungenzeka umzimba wakho ungezwani nomuthi othile. Uma ungayisebenzisi imithi ngendlela egunyaziwe—isilinganiso esifanele ngesikhathi esifanele—cishe ngeke ikusize futhi ingakulimaza ngisho nokukulimaza. Kungaba isimo esifanayo uma udokotela wakho egunyaza umuthi ongafanele noma imithi engadingekile. Uzifaka engozini futhi uma uphuza imithi esiphelelwe isikhathi, engekho ezingeni elifanele, noma yomgunyathi.

Ukuze unciphise lezi zingozi, kufanele wazi okuningi ngangokunokwenzeka nganoma imuphi umuthi owuphuzayo. Ungazuza kakhulu ngokwazi amaqiniso.

Imithi Elwa Namagciwane—Izici Ezinamandla Nezibuthaka

Selokhu yasungulwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-50 edlule, imithi elwa namagciwane iye yasindisa ukuphila kwezigidi zabantu. Iye yanqoba izifo ezisabekayo, njengochoko, isifo sofuba, i-pneumonia, i-scarlet fever, nogcunsula. Ifeza nendima eyinhloko ekwelapheni ezinye izifo zamagciwane.

UDkt. Stuart Levy, uprofesa wezokwelapha eTufts University Medical School e-United States, wathi: “[Imithi elwa namagciwane] iye yashintsha ezokwelapha. Iwukuphela kwemithi ewushintshé kakhulu umlando wezokwelapha.” Esinye isikhulu sezokwelapha sithi: “Iyisisekelo okwakhiwe phezu kwaso ezokwelapha zanamuhla.”

Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba uphuthume kudokotela wakho uyofuna imithi, cabangela izingozi. Imithi elwa namagciwane, lapho isetshenziswa ngokungafanele, ingakulimaza kunokuba ikusize. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi lemithi isebenza ngokuhlasela futhi ibhubhise amagciwane emzimbeni. Kodwa ayiwabhubhisi wonke amagciwane ayingozi ngaso sonke isikhathi; ezinye izinhlobo zamagciwane ziyamelana nayo. Lamagciwane anamandla awagcini ngokusinda kuphela kodwa ayanda futhi adlulele kwabanye abantu.

Ngokwesibonelo, i-penicillin yake yaphumelela kakhulu ekwelapheni izifo zamagciwane. Manje, ngokwengxenye ngenxa yamagciwane amelana nayo ngokwandayo, izinkampani ezithaka imithi zikhiqiza amakhulu ezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene ze-penicillin.

Yini ongayenza ukuze ugweme izinkinga? Uma uyidinga ngempela imithi elwa namagciwane, qiniseka ukuthi igunyazwa udokotela oqeqeshiwe futhi itholakala emthonjeni ofanele. Ungamcindezeli udokotela wakho ukuba agunyaze lemithi ngokushesha—angase afune ukuba uhlolwe ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi umuthi owutholayo ungofanele ukugula kwakho.

Kubalulekile futhi nokuba uphuze isilinganiso esifanele esikhathini esifanele. Kufanele uyiphuze yonke imithi elwa namagciwane, ngisho noma uzizwa ungcono ngaphambi kokuba iphele.

Ingabe Imijovo Ingcono Kunamaphilisi?

“Ngifuna umjovo!” Lamazwi azwiwa izisebenzi zezempilo eziningi emazweni asathuthuka. Imbangela yesicelo esinjalo inkolelo yokuthi umuthi ufakwa ngomjovo ngokuqondile egazini futhi uyikhambi elinamandla kakhulu kunamaphilisi. Kwamanye amazwe kuvamile ukubona ‘odokotela abajovayo’ abangekho emthethweni ezimakethe.

Imijovo inezingozi amaphilisi angenazo. Uma inalithi ingahlanzekile, isiguli singangenwa isifo sokusha kwesibindi, umhlathi-ngqi, ngisho nengculaza. Inalithi engcolile ingabangela nethumba elibuhlungu. Izingozi ziyanda uma ujovwa umuntu ongaqeqeshiwe.

Uma uwudinga ngempela umjovo, qikelela ukuthi ujovwa umuntu oqeqeshiwe kwezokwelapha. Ukuze uvikeleke, qikelela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi inalithi nomjovo akunamagciwane.

Imithi Yomgunyathi

Imboni yomhlaba wonke yezemithi iyibhizinisi elikhulu, elingenisa amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-740 unyaka ngamunye, ngokwe-World Health Organization (WHO). Bemagange ngokusizakala ngalesi simo, abantu abangenazimiso baye bakhiqiza imithi yomgunyathi. Imithi yomgunyathi ifana nemithi yangempela—ngokufanayo namalebula namabhokisi ayo—kodwa ayisebenzi.

Nakuba imithi yomgunyathi ikuyo yonke indawo, ivame kakhulu emazweni asathuthuka, futhi iletha imiphumela eyinhlekelele. ENigeria, abantwana abangu-109 babulawa isifo sezinso ngemva kokuphuza usulubha wokudambisa izinhlungu owawunesincibilikisi sasezimbonini. EMexico, izisulu zokusha zangenwa izifo zamagciwane esikhumba ezimbi ngenxa yalokho okuthiwa amakhambi okwakunemvithi yamapulangwe, ikhofi, nezibi. EBurma, kungenzeka ukuthi izakhamuzi eziningi zabulawa umalaleveva ngenxa yokuphuza umuthi womgunyathi owawungalwi nomalaleveva. I-WHO ithi: “Abasengozini kakhulu kuseyilabo abadla imbuya ngothi, ngezinye izikhathi abacabanga ukuthi kuwumtitilizo omuhle lapho bethenga lokho okubonakala kuwumuthi osebenzayo okhiqizwe inkampani ehlonishwayo.”

Ungazivikela kanjani emithini yomgunyathi? Qikelela ukuthi lokho okuthengayo kuvela emthonjeni onedumela elihle, njengekhemisi lasesibhedlela. Ungathengi kubathengisi basemgwaqweni. Umthaki wemithi waseBenin City, eNigeria, uyaxwayisa: “Kubathengisi basemgwaqweni, ukuthengisa imithi kumane nje kuyibhizinisi. Basakaza imithi njengokungathi ingamaswidi noma amakhekhe. Ngokuvamile imithi abayithengisayo iphelelwe isikhathi noma iwumgunyathi. Laba bantu abazi lutho ngemithi abayithengisayo.”

Inkinga Yobumpofu

Ukwelashwa umuntu akutholayo ngokuvamile kunqunywa ukuthi unamalini. Ukuze bonge izindleko nesikhathi, abantu basemazweni asathuthuka bangase bashiye udokotela futhi baye ngqó ekhemisi beyothenga imithi okufanele igunyazwe ngokomthetho. Ngenxa yokuthi bake bawusebenzisa lowo muthi ngaphambili noma ngenxa yokuthi abangane bayawutusa, bayazi ukuthi yini abayifunayo ngenxa yokugula kwabo. Kodwa lokho abakufunayo kungase kungabi yilokho abakudingayo.

Abantu bazama ukunciphisa izindleko nangezinye izindlela. Udokotela wenza ukuhlola abese egunyaza umuthi othile. Isiguli sithatha incwadi egunyaza umuthi siye ekhemisi kodwa sithole ukuthi izindleko zimba eqolo. Ngakho kunokuba bafune imali eyengeziwe, ngokuvamile abantu bathenga umuthi oshibhile noma bathenge eminye yemithi egunyaziwe.

Ingabe Uyayidinga Ngempela Imithi?

Uma uyidinga ngempela imithi, thola ukuthi yini oyithathayo. Ungabi namahloni okubuza udokotela noma umthaki wemithi imibuzo ngokuqondene nomuthi ogunyaziwe. Unelungelo lokwazi. Phela, umzimba wakho ongase uhlupheke.

Uma ungayisebenzisi ngokufanele imithi yakho, ungase ungalulami. Kudingeka wazi ukuthi kufanele uphuze ongakanani, nini, futhi isikhathi eside kangakanani. Kudingeka futhi wazi ukuthi ikuphi ukudla, iziphuzo, noma eminye imithi noma imisebenzi okufanele uyigweme lapho usebenzisa lowo muthi. Futhi kudingeka uyiqaphele imiphumela emibi engase ivele nokuthi yini okufanele uyenze lapho ivela.

Khumbula futhi ukuthi imithi ayizixazululi zonke izinkinga zezokwelapha. Ungase ungayidingi nhlobo imithi. Umagazini we-WHO, i-World Health, uthi: “Sebenzisa umuthi kuphela lapho kudingekile. Ngokuvamile ukuphumula, ukudla okunomsoco kanye neziphuzo eziningi kwanele ukusiza umuntu ukuba alulame.”

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 12]

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-2000 edlule, umlobi othile wezinkondlo ongumRoma wabhala: “Ukugula okuyinkulungwane kudinga amakhambi ayinkulungwane.” Namuhla, lomlobi ubengabhala ukuthi, ‘Ukugula okuyinkulungwane kudinga amaphilisi ayinkulungwane’! Ngempela, kubonakala sengathi kunephilisi cishe lakho konke ukugula, okungokoqobo noma okucatshangelwayo. NgokweBhange Lomhlaba, emhlabeni wonke kunezinhlobo zemithi ezingaba ngu-100 000, ezenziwe ngezinto ezinamandla ezingaphezu kuka-5000.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Ukusebenzisa Imithi Ngokunengqondo

1. Ungayisebenzisi imithi esiphelelwe isikhathi.

2. Thenga endaweni efanele. Ungathengi kubathengisi basemgwaqweni.

3. Qikelela ukuthi uyaziqonda futhi uyazilandela iziyalezo.

4. Ungayisebenzisi imithi egunyazelwe omunye umuntu.

5. Ungaphikeleli ngokufuna imijovo. Imithi ephuzwayo ngokuvamile isebenza ngendlela efanayo.

6. Gcina imithi endaweni epholile, kude nabantwana.