Izifo Eziwumshayabhuqe Ekhulwini Lama-20
I-BLACK DEATH yangekhulu lika-14 eYurophu ayizange iholele ekupheleni kwezwe, njengoba abaningi babebikezela. Kodwa kuthiwani ngesikhathi sethu? Ingabe imiqedazwe nezifo zosuku lwethu zisikisela ukuthi siphila kulokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’?—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
‘Akunjalo neze,’ ungase ucabange. Ukuthuthuka kwezokwelapha nakwezesayensi kuye kwasisiza kakhulu ukuba siqonde futhi silwe nezifo manje ukwedlula noma isiphi isikhathi emlandweni wesintu. Ososayensi bezokwelapha baye benza izinhlobonhlobo zemithi elwa nezifo neyokugoma—izikhali ezinamandla zokulwa nezifo namagciwane azibangelayo. Intuthuko ekunakekelweni ezibhedlela nasekuhlanzweni kwamanzi, ekukhucululweni kwendle, nasekuphekweni kokudla kuye kwaba wusizo empini yokulwa nezifo ezithathelwanayo.
Emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule, abaningi babecabanga ukuthi lempi isizophela. Ingxibongo yayisiqediwe, futhi kwakubekwe umgomo wokuqeda nezinye izifo. Imithi yokwelapha yakwazi ukunqoba izifo eziningi. Ochwepheshe bezempilo babenethemba ngekusasa. Izifo ezithathelwanayo zazizonqotshwa; kwakuzonqotshwa izifo eziningi. Isayensi yezokwelapha yayizonqoba.
Kodwa ayizange inqobe. Namuhla izifo ezithathelwanayo ziyimbangela yokufa ehamba phambili, zibulale abantu abayizigidi ezingaphezu kuka-50 ngo-1996 kuphela. Ithemba lokuhle lesikhathi esidlule lithathelwa indawo ukukhathazeka okukhulayo ngekusasa. I- World Health Report 1996, ekhishwe yi-World Health Organization (WHO), iyaxwayisa: “Intuthuko enkulu efezwe emashumini eminyaka amuva ekuthuthukiseni impilo yesintu manje isisengcupheni. Sisonqenqemeni lwenhlekelele yembulunga yonke yezifo ezithathelwanayo. Alikho izwe eliphephile.”
Izifo Ezindala Sezibulala Kakhulu
Esinye isizathu sokukhathazeka ukuthi izifo ezaziwayo, okwakucatshangwa ukuthi sezinqotshiwe, sezibuya nangezindlela ezibulala kakhulu futhi okunzima ukuzelapha. Isibonelo isifo sofuba, isifo esase sibhekwa njengesinqotshwe ngokuphelele emazweni athuthukile. Kodwa isifo sofuba asizange siphele; manje sibulala cishe abantu abangaba yizigidi ezintathu ngonyaka. Uma izindlela zokusilawula zingathuthukiswa, kulindeleke ukuba abantu abacishe babe yizigidi ezingu-90 baphathwe yilesi sifo phakathi neminyaka yawo-1990. Isifo sofuba esimelana nezibulala-magciwane siyanda emazweni amaningi.
Esinye isibonelo sesifo esesibuyile umalaleveva. Eminyakeni engu-40 edlule odokotela babenamathemba okuwuqeda nyá umalaleveva. Namuhla lesi sifo sibulala cishe abantu abayizigidi ezimbili minyaka yonke. Umalaleveva uwumqedazwe, noma awupheli, usemazweni angaphezu kuka-90 futhi usongela amaphesenti angu-40 abantu emhlabeni. Omiyane abathwala amagciwane kamalaleveva sebemelana nezibulala-zinambuzane, kanti nalamagciwane asemelana nemithi yokwelapha kangangokuthi odokotela sebesaba ukuthi amanye alamagciwane kamalaleveva angase angabulaleki.
Isifo Nobumpofu
Ezinye izifo zibulala ngokuphikelelayo naphezu kokuba zikhona izindlela zokulwa nazo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga nge-spinal meningitis. Iyatholakala imithi yokugoma evimbela i-meningitis neyokuyelapha. Yaqubuka eSahara e-Afrika ekuqaleni kuka-1996. Cishe kuncane kakhulu owakuzwa ngayo; noma kunjalo, yabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-15 000—iningi labo okungabantu abampofu nezingane.
Izifo zemigudu yokuphefumula ekwesingezansi, ezihlanganisa i-pneumonia, zibulala abantu abayizigidi ezine unyaka ngamunye, iningi labo okuyizingane. Isimungumungwana sibulala izingane eziyisigidi minyaka yonke, futhi umpenge lubulala abanye abangu-355 000. Okuningi kwalokhu kufa nakho kungavinjelwa ngokusebenzisa imithi yokugoma eshibhile.
Usuku ngalunye izingane ezilinganiselwa ezinkulungwaneni ezingu-8 ziyafa ngenxa yokuphelelwa amanzi emzimbeni okubangelwa isifo sohudo. Cishe konke lokhu kufa kwabantu kungavinjelwa ngokukhucululwa kahle kwendle noma ngokuba namanzi okuphuza ahlanzekile noma ngokusebenzisa i-oral rehydration solution.
Ukufa okuningi kwalaba bantu kwenzeka emazweni asathuthuka, ampofu kakhulu. Cishe izigidi ezingu-800 zabantu—ingxenye enkulu yenani labantu emhlabeni—azikwazi ukuthola ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha. I-World Health Report 1995 yathi: “Umbulali obedlula bonke emhlabeni nobangela ukugula nokuhlupheka embulungeni yonke ubekwe ngasekugcineni kohla lwe-International Classification of Diseases. Unikezwe isifushaniso esithi Z59.5—ubumpofu obukhulu.”
Izifo Ezisanda Kutholakala
Noma kunjalo ezinye izifo zintsha, zisanda kutholakala nje. I-WHO isanda kuthi: “Phakathi neminyaka engu-20 edlule, kuye kwavela okungenani izifo ezintsha ezingu-30 ezisongela ukuphila kwamakhulu ezigidi zabantu. Eziningi zalezi zifo azelapheki, noma ayikho imithi yokuzigomela futhi mancane amathuba okuthi zingavinjelwa noma zilawulwe.”
Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga nge-HIV nengculaza. Izifo ebezingaziwa cishe eminyakeni engaba ngu-15 nje edlule, manje zikhathaza abantu kuwo wonke amazwekazi. Njengamanje, cishe abantu abadala abayizigidi ezingu-20 sebene-HIV, futhi abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-4,5 sebenengculaza. Ngokwe-Human Development Report 1996, ingculaza manje isiyimbangela ehamba phambili yokufa kwabantu abadala abaneminyaka engaphansi kuka-45 ubudala eYurophu naseNyakatho Melika. Emhlabeni wonke, cishe ingena abantu abalinganiselwa ku-6000 ngosuku—umuntu oyedwa njalo emizuzwaneni engu-15. Izilinganiso zisikisela ukuthi inani labantu abaphethwe ingculaza lisazoqhubeka likhula ngokushesha. Ngokwenhlangano yase-United States, cishe ngonyaka ka-2010, ubude besikhathi okulindeleke ukuba siphilwe abantu emazweni ase-Afrika nase-Asia ahlaselwe kakhulu ingculaza kulindeleke ukuba sehle sibe iminyaka engu-25.
Ingabe ingculaza iyisifo esihlukile, noma kungenzeka kuvele ezinye izifo eziwumqedazwe, zibangele umonakalo ofanayo noma omubi kakhulu? I-WHO iyaphendula: “Ngaphandle kokungabaza, kuzoqubuka izifo ezingakaziwa kodwa ezingenza umonakalo ofana nowengculaza.”
Izici Ezikhuthaza Amagciwane
Kungani ochwepheshe bezempilo bekhathazwa yimiqedazwe yezifo zakusasa? Esinye isizathu ukwanda kwabantu emadolobheni. Eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, cishe amaphesenti angu-15 kuphela enani labantu emhlabeni ayehlala emadolobheni. Nokho, kucatshangelwa ukuthi ngonyaka ka-2010, abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yabantu emhlabeni bayobe behlala emadolobheni, ikakhulu emadolobheni amakhulu asemazweni asathuthuka.
Amagciwane athathelwanayo ayanda ezindaweni ezinabantu abaningi. Uma idolobha linezindlu zokuhlala ezikahle nesimiso sokukhuculula indle namanzi kanye nokunakekelwa okuhle kwempilo, ingozi yomqedazwe iyancipha. Kodwa amadolobha akhula kakhulu yilawo asemazweni ampofu. Kwamanye amadolobha indlu yangasese eyodwa isetshenziswa abantu abangu-750 noma ngaphezulu. Izindawo eziningi zasemadolobheni azinazo izindlu ezikahle namanzi okuphuza ahlanzekile nezinto zokwelapha. Lapho amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu ehlala ndawonye ngokuminyana ezindaweni ezingcolile, ithuba lokudluliselwa kwesifo landa kakhulu.
Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi imiqedazwe yakusasa iyophelela emadolobheni amakhulu aminyene nampofu? Iphephabhuku i-Archives of Internal Medicine liyaphendula: “Kumelwe siqonde ngempela ukuthi izindawo ezimpofu kakhulu, ukuphelelwa ithemba kwezomnotho, nemiphumela yako kuveza amathuba amaningi okuba izifo ezithathelwanayo zande futhi zehlule ezobuchwepheshe zesintu sisonke.”
Akulula ukugcina isifo endaweni eyodwa. Abantu abaningi abahlali ndawonye. Usuku ngalunye cishe abantu abayisigidi banqamula imingcele yamazwe ngamazwe. Isonto ngalinye abantu abayisigidi baya emazweni acebile nampofu. Njengoba abantu behamba, bathwala amagciwane ayingozi. I-Journal of the American Medical Association iyaphawula: “Ukubhebhetheka kwesifo noma kuphi manje kumelwe kubhekwe njengosongo emazweni amaningi, futhi ikakhulu lawo ayizizinda ezinkulu zezokuvakasha.”
Ngakho, naphezu kokuthuthuka kwezokwelapha kwaleli khulu lama-20, izifo eziwumshayabhuqe ziyaqhubeka zibangela ukufa kwabantu abaningi, futhi abaningi besaba okubi kakhulu okuseza. Kodwa iBhayibheli lithini ngekusasa?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 4]
Izifo ezithathelwanayo zilokhu ziyimbangela ehamba phambili yokufa, zibulale okungenani abantu abayizigidi ezingaphezu kuka-50 ngo-1996 kuphela
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Ukumelana Nezibulala-magciwane
Kuya kuba nzima ukwelapha izifo eziningi ezithathelwanayo ngenxa yokuthi sezimelana nezibulala-magciwane. Nakhu okwenzekayo: Lapho ama-bacterium engena kumuntu, ayaqhubeka ezala, adlulisele izici zawo zofuzo enzalweni yawo. Ngokuzalwa kwe-bacterium ngayinye entsha, kungenzeka kube noshintsho ezicini zofuzo—iphutha elincane ekwakhekeni eliyonika i-bacterium entsha izici ezintsha. Mancane amathuba okuba i-bacterium ishintshe izici zofuzo ngendlela yokuba imelane nezibulala-magciwane. Kodwa ama-bacterium azala ngezigidigidi, ngezinye izikhathi azala izizukulwane ezintathu ngehora elilodwa.
Ngakho, kwenzeka okungavamile—ngezinye izikhathi, kuvela i-bacterium okunzima ukuyibulala ngesibulala-magciwane. Ngakho lapho umuntu onegciwane ephuza isibulala-magciwane, ama-bacterium angenakumelana nemithi ayafa, bese mhlawumbe umuntu ezizwa esengcono futhi. Nokho, ama-bacterium amelana nesibulala-magciwane ayasinda. Kodwa manje akusadingeki ukuba ancintisane namanye amagciwane ngezakhi nendawo yokuhlala. Asekhiqiza ngokukhululeka ngaphandle kokuphazamiseka. Ngenxa yokuthi i-bacterium eyodwa ingazala izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-16 ngosuku, akuthathi sikhathi ngaphambi kokuba umuntu aphinde agule futhi. Nokho, manje ungenwa uhlobo olusha lwama-bacterium amelana nemithi yokwelapha ebihloselwe ukuba iwabulale. Lama-bacterium angase angene nakwabanye abantu futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi aphinde ashintshe izici zawo zofuzo ukuze amelane nezinye izibulala-magciwane.
Isihloko somhleli ephephabhukwini i-Archives of Internal Medicine sithi: “Ukwanda ngokushesha kwama-bacterium, ama-virus, isikhunta, namagciwane amelana nezindlela zokwelapha zanamuhla kusenza singazibuzi ukuthi siyokwehlulwa yini empini yokulwa namagciwane, kodwa ukuthi siyokwehlulwa nini kulempi yokulwa namagciwane.”—Omalukeke sizenzele.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]
Ezinye Izifo Ezintsha Ezithathelwanayo Kusukela Ngo-1976
Unyaka Lapho Saqala
Esabonakala Ukubonakala
Ngawo Igama lesifo Khona
1976 Isifo samabutho (Legionnaires’ disease) E-United States
1976 I-Cryptosporidiosis E-United States
1976 Ukopha kakhulu okubangelwa imfiva ye-ebola EZaire
(Ebola hemorrhagic fever)
1977 I-Hantaan virus EKorea
1980 Ukusha kwesibindi kohlobo D (Delta) E-Italy
(Hepatitis D)
1980 I-Human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 EJapan
1981 Ingculaza E-United States
1982 I-E. coli 0157:H7 E-United States
1986 Isifo sokuhlanya kwezinkomo E-United Kingdom
(Bovine spongiform encephalopathy*)
1988 I-Salmonella enteritidis PT4 E-United Kingdom
1989 Ukusha kwesibindi kohlobo C (Hepatitis C) E-United States
1991 I-Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever EVenezuela
1992 I-Vibrio cholerae 0139 ENdiya
1994 I-Brazilian hemorrhagic fever EBrazil
1994 I-human and equine morbillivirus E-Australia
*Sitholakala ezilwaneni kuphela.
[Umthombo]
Source: WHO
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Izifo Ezindala Ziyabuya
Isifo Sofuba: Kulindeleke ukuba kufe abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-30 phakathi naleminyaka eyishumi. Ngenxa yokuhluleka ukwelapha lesi sifo esikhathini esidlule, isifo sofuba esimelana nemithi yokwelapha manje sesisongela imbulunga yonke. Amanye amagciwane manje awasabulawa imithi yokwelapha eyayiwabulala nyá.
Umalaleveva: Lesi sifo singena abantu abayizigidi ezingu-500 minyaka yonke, sibulala abayizigidi ezimbili. Ukusilawula kuye kwathiywa ukuntuleka noma ukusetshenziswa kabi kwemithi yokwelapha. Ngokomphumela, amagciwane kamalaleveva asemelana nemithi yokwelapha eyayiwabulala esikhathini esidlule. Omiyane abamelana nezibulala zinambuzane benza izinto zibe nzima nakakhulu.
Ikholera: Ikholera ibulala abantu abangu-120 000 ngonyaka, ikakhulu e-Afrika, lapho lomqedazwe uye wasakazeka kakhulu khona futhi uhlasela njalo. Nakuba ibingaziwa eNingizimu Melika emashumini eminyaka, ikholera yahlasela iPeru ngo-1991 futhi kusukela lapho iye yasakazeka kulo lonke leli lizwekazi.
Udenga: Leli gciwane elithwalwa umiyane lingena kubantu abalinganiselwa ezigidini ezingu-20 unyaka ngamunye. Phakathi no-1995 umqedazwe wodenga omubi kakhulu eLatin America naseCaribbean eminyakeni engu-15 wahlasela okungenani emazweni angu-14. Umqedazwe wodenga uyanda ngenxa yokwanda kwabantu emadolobheni, ukusakazeka komiyane abathwala igciwane lodenga, nokuhamba koquqaba lwabantu abanaleli gciwane.
I-diphtheria: Izinhlelo zokugoma uquqaba ezaqala eminyakeni engu-50 edlule zenza ukuba lesi sifo singatholakali kalula emazweni athuthukile. Nokho, kusukela ngo-1990, umqedazwe we-diphtheria uye wahlasela emazweni angu-15 eMpumalanga Yurophu nasezweni elalikade liyiSoviet Union. Cishe umuntu oyedwa kwabane ababengenwe yilesi sifo wafa. Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1995, kwabikwa abantu abacishe babe ngu-25 000 abaziwayo ukuthi banaleli gciwane.
Isifo sezimbilapho: Phakathi no-1995, i-World Health Organization (WHO) yabikelwa ukuthi kunabantu abangu-1400 abaziwayo ukuthi bahlaselwe yilesi sifo. E-United States nakwezinye izindawo, lesi sifo sasisakazekela ezindaweni ebezingakaze zihlaselwe yilesi sifo emashumini eminyaka adlule. Source: WHO
[Umthombo]
Source: WHO
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Naphezu kwentuthuko kwezokwelapha, isayensi yezokwelapha iye yahluleka ukunqanda ukusakazeka kwezifo ezithathelwanayo
[Umthombo]
WHO photo by J. Abcede
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Izifo zisakazeka kalula lapho abantu behlala ndawonye ngokuminyana ezindaweni ezingcolile
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Cishe abantu abayizigidi ezingu-800 emadolobheni asathuthuka abakwazi ukuthola ukunakekelwa kwezokwelapha