#WorldMalariaDay- UMzantsi Afrika usiqulele isifo sengcongconi!

Iqanda (Zero). Elo linani lamatyala olosuleleko lwesifo sengcongconi (malaria) nalapho uMzantsi Afrika anethemba lokuhlala kulo ngonyaka ka2018.

Oku kuthethwe lisebe lezempilo likazwelonke, nelithe thaca iminqweno yalo kanye phambi kosuku lwehlabathi, lesifo sengcongconi (World Malaria Day) izolo, uMvulo, we-25 kuTshazimpuzi. Umxholo wehlabathi wolu suku uthi, End Malaria for Good. Ingxelo yombutho wezempilo wehlabathi ngesifo seengcongconi (World Health Organisation’s World Malaria Report 2015) idiza ukuba kukho ukwehla okukhulu kokubikwa kwamatyala esifo sengcongconi nokubhubha ngenxa yesi sifo ukususela ngonyaka ka2000, nalapho amatyala okubhubha ehle nge-60 yeepesenti, ngoko ibalelwa kumashumi amathandathu anesibini ezigidi (62 million) imiphefumlo eyaye yasindiswa.

Kwakhona, amazwe angama-57 ehlise amatyala esifo sengcongconi ngobuncinane bomyinge ka-75 weepesenti phakathi konyaka ka2000 nonyaka ophelileyo. “Isebe likazwelonke lezempilo liphumelele kakhulu ukwehlisa iziganeko zesifo semalaria eMzantsi Afrika, kwaye likwafikelele kummiselo wesifo seengcongconi weMillennium Development Goal (MDGs). “ UMzantsi Afrika wehlise izinga leziganeko zesifo sengcongconi ngomyinge ka-82 weepesenti zonyaka ka2000,” utshilo othethela eli sebe uPopo Maja. NgeyoMqungu, ilize laseMzantsi Afrika lathiwa jize ngewonga le-African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) ngenxa yokufezekisa umgomo wesifo sengcongconi weMDGs kwindibano ye-ALMA yeentloko zamazwe norhulumente wezizwe ezimanyeneyo. Ngokutsho kwe-WHO, kunyaka ophelileyo, ngamazwe akuma-95 ayenosuleleko lwesifo sengcongconi, nto leyo yayibeka abantu abakwi-3.2 yeebhiliyoni, isiqingatha sabantu behlabathi, kumngcipheko wesifo sengcongconi.

I-South African Medical Association (Sama) ithe, phantse ibengamawaka asithoba wamatyala sifo sengcongconi abikwe eMzantsi Afrika phakathi konyaka ka2013/14, nokwakhokelela ekubhubheni kwama-105 abantu.

Isifo seengcongconi sihamba ngesizini (ulosuleleko lwenzeka phakathi kwenyanga yoMsintsi/Sept nekaCanzibe/Meyi ) eMzantsi Afrika, kwaye olo suleleko lwenzeka kwiindawo ezithile ezifana neLimpopo, KwaZulu-Natal kunye neMpumalanga. Ibulala ukuya kutsho kwi- 438 000 yabantu ngonyaka ngamnye, ingakumbi kumazwe akwi sub-Saharan Africa.

Iimpawu ziyohluka ukusuka kwezo zibufana nezomkhuhlane- njengentloko ubuhlungu ngamandla, umkhuhlane, ukuqaqamba kwamajoni omzimba, ukuman’ uchwechwelwa yingqele, isicefe-cefe kunye nokugabha, ukuya kwiimpawu ezinobuzaza ezifana nokuphefumla nzima, ilow blood sugar, isifo esinobuzaza somhlaza wegazi (anaemia), ukufa kwezintso, ukuhlanza izihlandlo eziliqela, hypoglycaemia, umchamo omnyama, ukopha okungaqhelekanga okanye ubekwikoma.

“I-Malaria sisigrogriso sokwenyani, nangona ngamanye amaxesha singabikwa njengezinye izifo,” utshilo usihlalo weSama uGqr. Mzukisi Grootboom. “Sifuna wonke ummi woMzantsi Afrika abazi ubungozi besifo seengcongconi kwaye azikhusele kangangoko anako.” UManejala woqhagamshelwano kwi-SA National Blood Service uVanessa Raju uthe, ezona ndlela zisebenzayo ukuthintela ekosulelweni sisifo sengcongconi kukusebenzisa iinethi zengcongconi (mosquito nets) nezikhuseli zeengcongconi (insecticides).