Ukuqaqamba Kwamalunga—Isifo Esikhubazayo
“UBUHLUNGU BASO ABUCHAZEKI KUZE KUBE YILAPHO BUKUHLASELA. NGANGICABANGA UKUTHI OKUWUKUPHELA KWENDLELA YOKUTHOLA IMPUMUZO KWAKUWUKUBA NGIFE.”—USETSUKO, EJAPANE.
“NJENGOBA LESI SIFO SANGIQALA NGISENEMINYAKA ENGU-16 UBUDALA, NGICABANGA UKUTHI SANGIPHUCA UBUSHA BAMI.”—UDARREN, EGREAT BRITAIN.
“NGALAHLEKELWA YIMINYAKA EMIBILI YOKUPHILA KWAMI NGENXA YOKUHLALA NGISEMBHEDENI.”—UKATIA, E-ITALY.
“LAPHO SEKUQAQAMBA WONKE AMALUNGA OMZIMBA, NGANGIPHILA NGEZINHLUNGU.”—UJOYCE, ENINGIZIMU AFRIKA.
LEZI yizikhalo zosizi zezisulu zesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga. Ukuqaqamba kwamalunga kwenza izigidi zezisulu ziye kodokotela unyaka ngamunye zifuna ikhambi lezinhlungu, ukuqina kwemisipha nokukhubazeka okukubangelayo.
E-United States iyodwa, kunabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-42 abanesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga, futhi sikhubaza oyedwa kwabayisithupha abanaso. Eqinisweni, ukuqaqamba kwamalunga kuyimbangela eyinhloko yokukhubazeka kwabantu kulelo zwe. I-National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ithi umphumela walesi sifo kwezomnotho “ucishe ulingane nokuwohloka komnotho okusesilinganisweni,” ngoba sidla abaseMelika amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-524 unyaka ngamunye kwezokwelapha nasemsebenzini. Ngokwe-World Health Organization, ucwaningo oluthinta amazwe asathuthuka, anjengeBrazil, iChile, iChina, i-Indonesia, iMalaysia, iMexico, iNdiya, iPakistan, iPhilippines neThailand, lubonisa ukuthi inkinga ebangelwa yizifo zokuqaqamba kwamalunga emazweni anjalo cishe “ilingana nenkinga ekhona emazweni ezezimboni.”
Kuyinganekwane ukuthi ukuqaqamba kwamalunga kuyisifo sabantu abadala kuphela. Yiqiniso, kubathinta kakhulu abantu njengoba beya bekhula. Kodwa olunye uhlobo lwalesi sifo oluvamile, i-rheumatoid arthritis, luvame ukuhlasela abantu abaneminyaka ephakathi kwengu-25 nengu-50. E-United States, cishe abantu abathathu kwabahlanu abanesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga baneminyaka engaphansi kwengu-65 ubudala. Ngokufanayo, eGreat Britain, kubantu abayizigidi ezingu-8 abanalesi sifo, abayizigidi ezingu-1,2 baneminyaka engaphansi kwengu-45. Abangaphezu kuka-14 500 yizingane.
Unyaka ngamunye, inani labantu abanesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga likhula ngokushesha. Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi ezayo, inani labantu abanesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga eCanada liyokwanda ngabantu abayisigidi. Nakuba isifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga sande kakhulu eYurophu kunase-Afrika nase-Asia, lesi sifo siyanda nakuwo la mazwekazi. Ngakho ukwanda okukhulu kwesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga kuye kwashukumisela i-World Health Organization ukuba iqambe u-2000-2010 ngokuthi iShumi Leminyaka Lamathambo Namalunga. Phakathi nale nkathi odokotela nochwepheshe bezokwelapha emhlabeni wonke bayobambisana emzamweni wokuthuthukisa izinga lokuphila lalabo abanezifo zamathambo nemisipha ezinjengokuqaqamba kwamalunga.
Yini eyaziwayo ngalesi sifo esibuhlungu? Obani abasengozini yokuba naso? Labo abanesifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga bangabhekana kanjani nokukhubazeka esikubangelayo? Ingabe liyoba khona ikhambi esikhathini esizayo? Izihloko zethu ezilandelayo zizoxoxa ngalezi zindaba.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 3]
X ray: Used by kind permission of the Arthritis Research Campaign, United Kingdom (www.arc.org.uk)