Indlela Yokulwa Nengculaza

OKWAMANJE, alikho ikhambi lengculaza, futhi kubonakala sengathi umkhakha wezokwelapha ngeke ulithole maduzane. Nakuba izindlela ezintsha zokwelapha zikubambezela ukuqhubeka kwalesi sifo, kungcono kakhulu ukukugwema ukungenwa yigciwane. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba sixoxe ngezindlela zokugwema lesi sifo, ake sicabangele indlela igciwane lengculaza (HIV) elithathelwana ngayo nendlela elingenakuthathelwana ngayo.

Umuntu angangenwa yigciwane ngezindlela ezine eziyinhloko: (1) ngokusebenzisa inalithi noma umjovo onegciwane, (2) ngokuhlanganyela ubuhlobo bobulili (ngendlela evamile, ngendunu, noma ngomlomo) nomuntu onegciwane, (3) ngokumpontshelwa igazi nemikhiqizo yalo, nakuba lolu songo seluncishisiwe emazweni athuthukile lapho igazi lihlolwa khona ukuthi alinayo yini i-HIV, (4) nangonina one-HIV, ongadlulisela igciwane kumntanakhe ngaphambi noma ngesikhathi sokubeletha noma lapho esancelisa.

Ngokwe-U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ubufakazi besayensi obukhona manje bubonisa ukuthi (1) awunakungenwa yingculaza ngendlela efana nongenwa ngayo umkhuhlane, (2) awunakuyithola ngokuhlala eduze komuntu onengculaza noma ngokuthinta noma ukwanga umuntu onegciwane, (3) awunakuyithola ngokudla ukudla okuthintwe umuntu onegciwane, akuphekile, noma akuphakile, (4) futhi awunakuyithola ngokuhlanganyela izindlu zangasese, izingcingo, izingubo zokugqoka, noma izitsha zokudla nezokuphuza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-CDC ithi omiyane noma ezinye izinambuzane azikwazi ukulithwala leli gciwane.

Izindlela Zokuyivimbela

Igciwane lengculaza lizifihla egazini labantu abanayo. Uma umuntu onegciwane ejovwa, ingcosana yegazi elinegciwane ingase isale enalithini yomjovo. Uma othile ehlatshwa ngaleyo nalithi enegciwane, angase angenwe yigciwane. Ungalokothi usabe ukubuza udokotela noma umhlengikazi uma uwusola umjovo noma inalithi afuna ukukujova ngayo. Unelungelo lokwazi; ukuphila kwakho kusuke kusengozini.

Igciwane lengculaza liyatholakala nasesidodeni nasoketshezini lwezitho zobulili zabesifazane kubantu abanegciwane. Ngakho, lapho ikhuluma ngokuvimbela igciwane, i-CDC itusa ukuthi: “Ukugwema ubulili kuwukuphela kwesivikelo esiqinisekile. Uma uhlanganyela ebuhlotsheni bobulili, linda kuze kube yilapho usunobuhlobo besikhathi eside, bokwethembana nomuntu ongenagciwane, ubuhlobo obunjengomshado.”

Qaphela ukuthi ukuze uvikeleke, kumelwe ‘nobabili’ nigcine ‘ubuhlobo benu bungobokwethembana.’ Uma uthembekile kodwa umngane wakho engathembekile, awuvikelekile. Lokhu ngokuvamile kuyinkinga enzima kwabesifazane abaphila emiphakathini lapho becindezelwa khona amadoda ngokobulili nangokomnotho. Kwamanye amazwe abesifazane abavunyelwe ngisho nokuxoxa namadoda ngezindaba zobulili, ingasaphathwa eyokubonisana ngezindlela eziphephile zokuhlangana ngokobulili.

Nokho, akubona bonke abesifazane abahlala basonge izandla. Ukuhlola okwenziwa kwelinye izwe laseNtshonalanga Afrika kwabonisa ukuthi abanye besifazane abazimele ngokwezimali bayakwazi ukugodlela abayeni babo abanegciwane ubulili, kungabi namiphumela enobudlova. ENew Jersey, e-U.S.A., abanye besifazane babenqaba ukuhlanganyela ubulili uma indoda ingafuni ukusebenzisa i-condom. Yiqiniso, nakuba ama-condom engavikela umuntu kuyi-HIV nakwezinye izifo ezithathelwana ngobulili, kumelwe asetshenziswe njalo nangendlela efanele.

Isikhathi Sokuhlolelwa Igciwane

UKaren, okukhulunywe ngaye esihlokweni esandulelayo, akukho ayengakwenza ukuze azivikele ekungenweni yigciwane. Umyeni wakhe wayethole igciwane eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kokuba bashade, futhi bashada ngesikhathi lapho lo mqedazwe nezindlela zokuhlolelwa i-HIV kwakusafufusa. Nokho, manje ukuhlolela i-HIV sekuyinqubo evamile kwamanye amazwe. Ngakho, uma umuntu engaqiniseki ukuthi unalo yini igciwane le-HIV noma cha, kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba ahlolwe ngaphambi kokuthandana nothile. UKaren uyaluleka: “Khetha umngane wakho womshado ngokuhlakanipha. Ukukhetha okungafanele kungakulahlekisela kakhulu, ulahlekelwe ngisho nawukuphila kwakho imbala.”

Ukuhlolwa kungase kuvikele umngane womshado ongenacala uma kuhileleke ukuphinga. Njengoba igciwane le-HIV lingase lingabonakali lapho lihlolwa kuze kube ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha, kungase kudingeke ukuba umuntu ahlolwe kaningana. Uma abantu behlanganyela ebuhlotsheni bobulili futhi (ngaleyo ndlela bebonisa ukuthi ophingile usethethelelwe), ukusebenzisa i-condom kungabavikela ekungenweni yigciwane.

Ulwazi Lungasiza Kanjani?

Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi nakuba iBhayibheli lalotshwa esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba kuqubuke ingculaza, ukuphila ngezimiso zalo kuyavikela kulesi sifo. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli liyabulahla ubulili ngaphandle komshado, ligcizelela ukuthembeka emshadweni, futhi lithi amaKristu kufanele ashade nabantu abasebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli ezifanayo kuphela. (1 Korinte 7:39; Heberu 13:4) Liyakwenqabela nokusebenzisa noma yiziphi izinto eziluthayo nokufaka igazi emzimbeni, okungcolisa umzimba.—IzEnzo 15:20; 2 Korinte 7:1.

Kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba nolwazi ngezingozi okungenzeka zihilelekile ekusebenzelaneni nabantu abane-HIV. Ukufunda ngengculaza kuhlomisa abantu ukuba bazivikele kuyo.

I-AIDS Action League ithi: “Ezimweni eziningi, ingculaza ingavinjelwa. Kuze kube yilapho kutholakala ikhambi, ulwazi luyindlela ephambili nokuwukuphela kwayo etholakalayo okwamanje [umphakathi] ongazivikela ngayo engculazeni.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba bobabili abazali baxoxe ngokukhululekile ngengculaza, baxoxe nanabantwana babo ngayo.

Yiziphi Izindlela Zokwelashwa Ongakhetha Kuzo?

Ngokuvamile, izimpawu zalesi sifo azibonakali kuze kube iminyaka eyisithupha kuya kweyishumi umuntu engenwe yi-HIV. Phakathi naleyo minyaka, umzimba ulwa kanzima. Amagciwane ayanda futhi abulale amangqamuzana esimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni. Nawo la mangqamuzana awazibeki phansi. Ekugcineni, njengoba kukhiqizwa izinkulungwane zezigidi zamagciwane amasha usuku ngalunye, isimiso sokuzivikela ezifweni siyakhathala.

Kuye kwenziwa imithi ehlukahlukene yokuzama ukusiza isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni, enamagama ayinkimbinkimbi abhalwa ngezinhlamvu kuphela—i-AZT, i-DDI, ne-DDC. Nakuba abanye babekholelwa ukuthi le mithi yayizoletha izinzuzo ezinkulu futhi mhlawumbe ibe yikhambi, amathemba anjalo ashabalala ngokushesha. Akukhona nje ukuthi le mithi iphelelwa amandla ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kodwa futhi inemiphumela eyingozi kwabanye abantu—ukuncipha kwamangqamuzana egazi, izinkinga zokujiya kwegazi, nokufa kwezinzwa zezandla nezinyawo.

Manje sekunohlobo olusha lwemithi: ama-protease inhibitor. Odokotela bakhipha le mithi eyingxube ekathathu neminye imithi enqanda amagciwane. Ukuhlola kuye kwabonisa ukuthi nakuba le ndlela yokwelapha ekathathu ingalibulali igciwane le ngculaza, iyakunqanda, noma icishe ikunqande ukwanda kwalo emzimbeni.

Indlela yokwelapha ekathathu iye yayithuthukisa ngokuphawulekayo impilo yabagulayo. Nokho, ochwepheshe bakholelwa ukuthi le mithi isebenza kangcono lapho abantu abane-HIV beyinikezwa igciwane lisaqala, ngaphambi kokuba kubonakale izimpawu. Lapho kwenziwa kanjalo, igciwane lingase livinjelwe, mhlawumbe unomphela, ekubeni libangele isifo sengculaza. Njengoba le ndlela yokwelapha iseyintsha, kusazobonakala ukuthi isinqanda isikhathi eside kangakanani isifo.

Indlela yokwelapha ekathathu iyabiza. Ngokuvamile imithi emithathu enqanda amagciwane kanye nokuhlolwa kubiza u-R72 000 ngonyaka. Ngaphandle kwalezi zindleko ezinkulu, umuntu owelashwa ngale ndlela kumelwe aye esiqandisini njalo, lapho kumelwe ayigcine khona imithi. Ngokuvamile, umuntu uphuza amaphilisi athile kabili ngosuku kanti amanye kathathu. Amanye kufanele awaphuze engakadli, kanti amanye lapho esedlile. Ukwelashwa kuba umsebenzi omkhulu lapho kumelwe aphuze neminye imithi eminingi yokulwa nezinye izifo umuntu onengculaza asengozini yazo.

Okukhathaza odokotela kakhulu yilokho okungase kwenzeke uma umuntu eyeka le ndlela yokwelashwa ekathathu. Amagciwane anganda ngendlela engalawuleki, kanti lawo asindile emithini angalwa nemithi umuntu abeyiphuza ukuze awanqande. Kungaba nzima kakhulu ukwelapha izinhlobo ze-HIV ezilwa nemithi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, la magciwane anamandla angase adlulele kwabanye abantu.

Ingabe Imithi Yokugoma Iyikhambi?

Abanye abacwaningi bengculaza bakholelwa ukuthi isihluthulelo sokunqanda umqedazwe wengculaza emhlabeni wonke siwukuthola umuthi wokugoma ophephile nophumelelayo. Imithi ephumelelayo yokugomela i-yellow fever, isimungumungwana nozagiga yenziwa ngamagciwane abuthaka. Ngokuvamile, lapho igciwane elibuthaka lifakwa emzimbeni womuntu, isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni asilibhubhisi nje kuphela kodwa sakha nezindlela zokuzivikela eziyobhubhisa noma yiliphi igciwane langempela elihlaselayo.

Ukuhlola okubili okwenziwe ngezinkawu muva nje kubonise ukuthi inkinga nge-HIV iwukuthi ngisho negciwane elibuthaka lingaba yingozi. Ngamanye amazwi, umuthi wokugoma ungadala isifo owenzelwe ukuba usivimbele.

Umzamo wokuthola umuthi wokugoma uye wadumaza futhi wakhungathekisa. Izingxube eziningi ezahlolwa ezingawabulala nakanjani amanye amagciwane angenamandla, azizange zikwazi ukubulala i-HIV. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-HIV iyashintshashintsha, okwenza kube nzima ukuyinqanda. (Okwamanje kunezinhlobo ze-HIV okungenani eziyishumi emhlabeni wonke.) Okwenza le nkinga ibe nzima nakakhulu ukuthi leli gciwane libhuqabhuqa wona kanye amangqamuzana okuvikela umzimba ezifweni okusuke kufanele umuthi wokugoma uwaqinise ukuze avikele umzimba.

Ezomnotho nazo zinendima ekwenziweni kocwaningo. I-International AIDS Vaccine Initiative ezinze eWashington yathi: “Izimboni ezizimele azizimisele neze ukubamba iqhaza.” Lokhu kwathiwa kubangelwa ukwenqena ukuthi imithi yokugoma ngeke ingenise inzuzo, njengoba eminingi ingase ithengiswe emazweni angakathuthuki.

Naphezu kwalobu bunzima, abacwaningi bayaqhubeka behlola izindlela ezihlukahlukene njengoba befuna umuthi wokugoma ophumelelayo. Nokho, okwamanje, kubonakala ungenakutholakala maduzane umuthi wokugoma. Lapho sewenziwe umuthi wokugoma ongase usetshenziswe, kulandela umsebenzi onzima, obizayo noyingozi kakhulu wokuwuhlola ngokuwusebenzisa kubantu.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 5]

Obani Abangenwa Yi-HIV?

Emhlabeni wonke, abantu abangaba ngu-16 000 bangenwa yileli gciwane usuku ngalunye. Kuthiwa abangamaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-90 bahlala emazweni asathuthuka. Oyedwa kwabayishumi yingane eneminyaka engaphansi kwengu-15 ubudala. Abanye bangabantu abadala, amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-40 kubo abesifazane kanti abangaphezu kwesigamu baneminyaka ephakathi kwengu-15 nengu-24 ubudala.—World Health Organization ne-Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Ungabona Kanjani Ukuthi Ubani Onegciwane?

Awunakusho ukuthi umuntu unalo yini igciwane ngokumane nje umbheke. Nakuba abantu abane-HIV abangakabi nezimpawu zayo bengase babonakale bephilile, bangalidlulisela leli gciwane kwabanye. Ingabe ungamethemba umuntu othi akanalo igciwane? Cha. Abaningi abane-HIV kwabona abazi ukuthi banayo. Labo abaziyo bangase bafihle, noma bangase baqambe amanga. Ukuhlolwa okwenziwa e-United States kwambula ukuthi abantu abane-HIV abane kwabayishumi babengabatshelanga abantu abahlanganyela nabo ubuhlobo bobulili ukuthi banalesi sifo.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ukuhlobana Kwe-HIV Nengculaza

Elithi HIV limelela ukuthi “human immunodeficiency virus,” igciwane elonakalisa kancane kancane izingxenye zesimiso somzimba sokulwa nezifo. Elithi AIDS (ingculaza) limelela ukuthi “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.” Lisho isigaba sokugcina, esisongela ukuphila segciwane le-HIV. Leli gama lichaza indlela i-HIV esuke isisilimaze ngayo yasiqeda isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni, okwenza ogulayo abe isisulu sezifo lesi simiso ebesingazinqoba.

[Umthombo]

CDC, Atlanta, Ga.

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ukuhlolelwa i-HIV ngaphambi kokucabangela umshado kuyisinqumo esihlakaniphile