Kuloŵedwa ndi Ululu wa Mtovu—Ziyambukiro Zake Zosakaza

‘NTHENDA yofala yowopsa yapaubwana.’ “Chiwopsezo chachikulu pa ana cham’malo otizungulira.” Monga momwe mungakhale mutaganizirira, ziwopsezo zofotokozedwa panopo zikusonya kuchinthu chimodzimodzi: kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu.

Malinga ndi CDC (Centers for Disease Control ya ku United States), “ana makamaka ali pangozi yaikulu ya kuyambukiridwa ndi ululu wa mtovu. Kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu, kwakukulukulu, nkwakachetechete: ana ochuluka amene ali ndi ululu wake sasonyeza zizindikiro zirizonse. Chifukwa chake, ochuluka a matendawa amakhala osadziŵika ndi osachiritsidwa. . . . Sikuli chabe vuto la ana okhala m’mizinda yaikulu kapena yaing’ono. Palibe chitaganya ndi dongosolo lazachuma, dera, kapena anthu afuko lakutilakuti kapena a makhalidwe akutiakuti amene samayambukiridwa.” Lipotilo likuwonjezera kuti: “Kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu kwapaubwana ndiko vuto la padziko lonse.”

Mmene Mtovu Umayambukirira Ana

Pali ziŵerengero zoyerekezera kuyambira mamiliyoni atatu kufikira anayi za ana a zaka zakubadwa zosakwanira zisanu ndi chimodzi mu United States mokha amene ali ndi mtovu wochuluka kwambiri m’mwazi wawo mokhoza kupinimbiritsa kukula kwawo. Zimenezi zingachititse kuchepekera pang’ono kwa maluso akuŵerenga kapena kupinimbira maganizo kotheratu. Ndipo ngati umu ndimmene ziliri m’dziko limodzi, ziŵerengero za padziko lonse ziyenera kukhala zazikulu kwambiri.

Mu Afirika, Asia, Mexico, ndi Middle East, mtovu umagwiritsiridwabe ntchito nthaŵi zina monga mankhwala ndi anthu amene sadziŵa kuwopsa kwake. Umagwiritsiridwa ntchito kuthetsa kudzimbidwa, kuletsa mchombo kugwidwa matenda, ndiponso monga mankhwala oletsa kupweteka kwa nkhama za makanda.

Upandu wake suli waukulu kwakuti ana alikugwa ndi kumafa ndi kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu. Monga momwe kope la 1991 la FDA Consumer limasonyezera, imfa za ana zochititsidwa ndi kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu zakhala zosawonekawoneka. Koma ziyambukiro zake zikali zosakaza. Moyenerera mtovu watchedwa “wakupha nzeru.” Magazini a Newsweek anagwira mawu a mkulu wina wa zaumoyo kuti: “Pali chiŵerengero chachikulu cha ana amene amapeza vuto kuchita ntchito yofuna kulingalira kwambiri kapena ngakhale kuima mumzera m’kantini chifukwa chakuti ubongo wawo ngwodzala mtovu.”

Zizindikiro zina za ana oloŵedwa ndi mtovu zimaphatikizapo kukwiya msanga, kusagona tulo, m’mimba, kuchepa kwa mwazi, ndi kupinimbira. Minyewa yowonongeka, pamodzi ndi kupupuluma kopambanitsa—konga kwa nyama yotsekeredwa m’chikwere, monga momwe dokotala wina anafotokozera—kungadziŵitse mwana wotero. Pamene vutolo liri lalikulu kwambiri, ana ena angamakomoke ndi kugwidwa ndi khunyu, ndipo ngakhale atakula, angapitirize kuvutika ndi malingaliro. Zina za ziyambukiro zimenezi zingakhale zachikhalire, akutero mkulu wa Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch ya CDC. Kufikira pamene kupimidwa koyenera kwachitidwa, makolo kaŵirikaŵiri amakhala osadziŵa chochititsa nthenda yozemba imeneyi.

Kodi Nchifukwa Ninji Ana Ali Osavuta Kwambiri Kuyambukiridwa?

Mtovu uli wowopsa makamaka kwa ana pazifukwa ziŵiri. Choyamba, ana amayambukiridwa ndi milingo yochepa kwambiri poyerekezera ndi imene imayambukira achikulire. Popeza kuti ubongo ndi minyewa yawo ikali kukula, iwo amayambukiridwa kwambiri ndi mtovu. Chachiŵiri, ana, chifukwa cha khalidwe lawo ndi zochita, akhoza kupeza mtovu m’malo awo owazungulira.

Mwachitsanzo, talingalirani utoto wokhala ndi mtovu umene udakali magwero aakulu akuipitsa. M’maiko kumene kuli kololedwa kugwiritsira ntchito utoto wotero m’nyumba, matenda akuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu adzapitirizabe kuwonjezereka. Ndipo pamene maiko ambiri aletsa ntchito zina za utoto wokhala ndi mtovu m’zaka zaposachedwapa, utotowo ukalimo m’nyumba zakale. Makoma, mphutu za mazenera, zoseŵeretsa, makama a ana, ndi mipando, zonse zingakhalebe ndi miyalo ya mtovu. Mwachitsanzo, ku United States mtovu wochuluka ukali m’nyumba pafupifupi mamiliyoni 57. Chapakati pa zaka khumi za ma 1980, ana aku Amereka pafupifupi mamiliyoni 13.6 a zaka zosakwanira zisanu ndi ziŵiri anali kukhala m’nyumba zopakidwa utoto wokhala ndi mtovu. Oposa miliyoni imodzi ya ameneŵa mwinamwake anali ndi mtovu wochuluka kowopsa m’mwazi wawo.

Malo opakidwa utoto mosalala sangapereke chiwopsezo chirichonse. Koma pamene utotowo ukhalitsa, umayamba kuchita ming’alu ndi kukanganuka. Popeza kuti mtovu ngwozuna, nkothekera kuti ana angadye zidutswa za utotowo. Ana atenga mtovu kumphutu za mazenera a utoto wokanganuka. Ndipo pamene utotowo usanduka fumbi, ana amautenga ndi zala zawo kuchokera ku zoseŵeretsa, pansi, ndi pakapeti—mosapeŵeka umaloŵa m’kamwa, m’mimba, ndi m’mitsempha ya mwazi kuchokera ku zalazo. Makamaka ana amene ali ndi msinkhu wapakati pa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi ndi zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi ndiwo ali pangozi.

“Mtovu wochepa chabe ndiwo umachititsa kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu,” akutero magazini a Newsweek. “Mwana angaloŵedwe kwambiri ndi mtovu (mamaikrogramu 60-80 pa deciliter imodzi) mwakudya miligramu imodzi ya fumbi la utoto wamtovu—yolingana ndi pafupifupi misenga itatu ya suga—tsiku lirilonse paubwana.” Kuti mwana angokhala paupandu, ayenera kudya fumbi la utoto lolingana ndi msenga umodzi chabe wa suga patsiku. “Nchifukwa chake mwana angadwale mwakungokhudza mazenera mokhazikika ndiyeno nkutsopa chala chake chamanthu,” ikusimba motero Newsweek, ikumawonjezera kuti makolo ambiri “samazindikira mpang’ono pomwe—kapena kukhulupirira—kuti fumbi lokhala pamphutu za mazenera awo lingakhale likubera ana awo mwakachetechete mbali ya maluso awo amtsogolo.”

Mtovu ndi Mluza

Vutoli limafalikira ndi m’mimba momwe mwa akazi okhala ndi pathupi, m’menenso ubongo ndi minyewa yomakula ya ana osabadwa zingavulale. Pamene nakubala wokhala mpakati aloŵetsa mtovu m’thupi lake, kaya mwakudya kapena kupuma, umaloŵa m’mitsempha yake ya mwazi. Ndiyeno umapitirira nuloŵa mumluza kupyolera m’nchofu. Mwanayo angakhale ndi minyewa yowonongeka kapena luntha lochepa. “Ngati mkazi wokhala ndi pathupi aloŵetsa mtovu waung’ono,” akutero wolemba nkhani zaumoyo, “ungathe kupyola m’nsapo yake kuloŵa mumluza.” Ndipo Science News inati: “Kufufuza kwasonyeza kuti akazi amene amagwira ntchito ndi mtovu m’mafakitale ali ndi vuto lalikulu la kusabala, kupita padera, kubala ana osakhwima ndi opunduka.”

Atate nawonso angawonjezere maupandu otero. Mtovu umene ungakhale m’mitsempha ya mwazi ya amuna ungapundule kapena kulefula ubwamuna, umene ungalepheretse kutenga mimba kapena umene ungachititse miluza kupunduka. Miluza yoyerekezeredwa kukhala 400,000 mwa akazi aku Amereka njoipitsidwa kwambiri ndi mtovu moti idzakhala yopinimbira. Popeza kuti kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu kuli mliri wa padziko lonse, chiŵerengero cha ana osabadwa oyambukiridwa chiyeneradi kukhala chachikulu.

Siana Okha

Mwachiwonekere, achikulire nawonso ali pangozi. Kuti atetezere ana awo, ayenera kudzitetezera. Kodi amatenga kuti mtovu umenewu? Akatswiri amavomereza kuti kuwonjezera pa utoto wa m’nyumba, magwero ofala lerolino ndiwo mtovu wopezeka m’madzi chifukwa cha mapaipi (pakuti ngakhale mapaipi a mkuwa angakhale atawotchereredwa ndi mtovu) ndi mafuta a galimoto okhala ndi mtovu. M’masukulu ndi maofesi, akasupe amadzi ali ndi matanki amadzi owotchereredwa ndi mtovu. Mkulu wina wa EPA (Environmental Protection Agency ya ku United States) akuyerekezera kuti: “Pafupifupi 20 peresenti yakuipitsidwa ndi mtovu imachititsidwa ndi madzi akumwa.” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ya boma inanena kuti mlingo wa mtovu “wa m’makina amagetsi oziziritsa madzi ungakhale waukulu, ndipo ungapereke chiwopsezo chachikulu chakuipitsidwa kwa anthu onse ndi ululuwo, osati kwa ana chabe.”

Kuwonjezera pa chothetsa nzerucho, makolo angabweretse mtovu panyumba kuzovala zimene amavala kuntchito ndi kuipitsanso ana awo. Kwayerekezeredwa kuti pafupifupi antchito mamiliyoni asanu ndi atatu mu United States mokha amakhala ndi mtovu kumalo awo antchito. Chiŵerengero chachikulu cha ameneŵa ndicha akazi.

Amene amasungira zakumwa zoledzeretsa kapena zakumwa zina m’zosungiramo zamiyala ya mtovu amadziikanso pachiswe, popeza kuti mtovu wake ungasungunukire m’chakumwacho. Mofananamo, ziŵiya zadothi zimene sizinawotchedwe ndi moto wotentha mokwanira zingaike zidutswa za mtovu za utoto wake m’chakudya. Mwachitsanzo, okwatirana ena anagula seti ya makapu a khofi pamene anali paulendo m’dziko lina. Makapuwo anapezeka kuti anatulutsa mtovu wambiri kuŵirikiza nthaŵi 300 kuposa muyezo umene oyang’anira zaumoyo amalola m’dziko lawo. Okwatiranawo anadwala kwambiri atagwiritsira ntchito makapuwo kwanthaŵi yaifupi. Ndiponso, mtovu m’zitini za zakudya, zimene zikali kugwiritsiridwa ntchito m’maiko ena, umawonjezera chiŵerengero cha kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu wochepa.

Okonda mfuti nawonso ali pangozi ya kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu. Chifukwa? Eya, kufufuza kwaposachedwapa kwasonyeza kuti amene amapita kaŵirikaŵiri kunyumba kumene amayesezerako kuwombera chandamale ali ndi mtovu wochuluka chifukwa cha kukoka fumbi lamtovu. Kuphulika ndi kupalika kwa zipolopolo zamtovu pamene zikuyenda mupaipi wa mfuti kumatulutsira tizidutswa ta mtovu mumpweya, ndipo wowomberayo amatikokera m’mapapu ake, akutero magazini a Science News. Zina za zizindikiro zondandalikidwa ndizo kuchita khambi m’kamwa kosalekeza ndi kunjenjemera kwa minyewa ya manja. Kufufuza kwina kwasonyeza kuti ziŵalo zabanja zingakhalenso pangozi yaikulu yakuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu wochokera kwa ogwiritsira ntchito timfuti amene amabwera kunyumba ndi fumbi la mtovu lomamatira kuzovala zawo.

Pokhala kuti kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu nkofala ndi kowopsa kwambiri kwa ana ndi achikulire omwe, funso lotsatira nlomvekera ndithu: Kodi nchiyani chingachitidwe kuletsa kuloŵedwako?

[Bokosi patsamba 25]

Kodi Ndimtovu Wochuluka Motani Umene Thupi Lingalole?

KODI ndimtovu wochuluka motani umene uli wopambanitsa? Kodi ngwochuluka motani umene thupi lingapukuse popanda chiwopsezo? Pamene asayansi akukambitsirana mafunso otereŵa, maiko ambiri akhazikitsa malamulo oletsa kuipitsa kwa mtovu, makamaka muutoto wamtovu. Australia analemba lamulo lotero kalelo kuchiyambi cha zaka za ma 1920. Great Britain, Grisi, Poland, ndi Sweden anakhazikitsa malamulo ofanana pambuyo pake m’zaka khumizo. United States sanakhazikitse lamulo lake la Lead Paint Poisoning Prevention Act kufikira mu 1971.

Komabe, United States wakhazikitsa malamulo ambiri olimba okhudza nkhaniyi chiyambire nthaŵiyo. Mu 1985 CDC (Centers for Disease Control ya ku United States) inatsitsa mlingo wovomerezeka wa mtovu m’mwazi kukhala mamaikrogramu 25 (zigawo 25 mwa zigawo zokwanira miliyoni imodzi za gramu imodzi) za mtovu pa deciliter imodzi (pafupifupi chigawo chimodzi mwa zisanu za painti) ya mwazi. Umenewo unali theka la mtovu umene dokotala wamkulu anatchula kalelo mu 1970, umene unali mamaikrogramu 60 pa deciliter imodzi. Koma patapita zaka, kufufuza kowonjezereka kunavumbula kuti ana angavulazidwe ndi mtovu wocheperapo. Choncho mu 1991 CDC inatsitsanso mlingo wovomerezedwawo kukhala wochepera pa theka, kuutsitsira kumamaikrogramu 10 pa deciliter imodzi.

Ngakhale kuti pali mkangano waukulu pa kumodzi kwa kufufuza kofunika kumene kunachititsa kusinthaku, kufufuza kwina kwakhala ndi zotulukapo zofanana. Mwachitsanzo, kufufuza kuŵiri kwa ku Scotland kunagwirizanitsa mlingo wocheperapo wa mtovu wofika pamamaikrogramu 11 pa deciliter imodzi m’mwazi ndi kuchepa kwa luntha ndi mavuto a khalidwe la ana. Ndipo monga momwe Bangkok Post inanenera kuchiyambi cha 1992, malamulo onga ngati limene liri ku Thailand limene limatetezera achikulire ku mtovu mwina silikhoza kutetezera ana—makamaka ana osabadwa.

[Bokosi patsamba 26]

Kuloŵedwa ndi Ululu wa Mtovu—Vuto Lamakedzana

MTOVU ungakhale unagwiritsiridwa ntchito kalelo mu 3000 B.C.E. Aigupto amakedzana anaugwiritsira ntchito kusemera ndi kuumbira zinthu, Afoinike ndi Akasidi anachita malonda ake, ndipo Agiriki aku Atene anali ndi migodi yake kwazaka mazana asanu ndi aŵiri. Koma anali Aroma, muulamuliro wa Akaisara, amene anayamba kutulukira kuthekera kwa kugwiritsira ntchito mtovu m’maindasitale—ndipo anapeza mavuto ochuluka chifukwa cha zimene anatulukirazo.

Aroma ankautcha plumbum. Antchito aluso anakulunga malata aakulu a mtovu kupanga mapaipi autali wamiyezo 15 yosiyanasiyana ogwiritsira ntchito m’ngalande zawo zazikulu zopitamo madzi. Aroma ndi Agiriki anapereka chitsanzo kwa akatswiri oika mipope amakono mwakulumikiza mapaipi amtovu. Motere mapaipi aatali ankalumikizidwa pamodzi kuti apereke madzi kumalo akutali. Ndiponso Aroma anaumba zikho ndi mtovu, mbiya za vinyo, ndi ziŵiya zophikira. Muyalo wosalola madzi wamalata amtovu unapangidwa kaamba ka kufolera.

Koma monga momwe ntchito ya mtovu siiri yatsopano, umboni wakuti umadwalitsa anthu sulinso watsopano. “Kwazaka zosachepera pa 2,000,” akutero magazini a Science News, “anthu azindikira mtovu kukhala ululu wamphamvu pamene akhalabe osadziŵa mmene umadwalitsira.” Komabe, Aroma amakedzana kwakukulukulu anawoneka kukhala osadziŵa kuwopsa kwenikweni kwa mtovu. Malinga ndi Jerome Nriagu wa pa Canadian National Water Research Institute, iwo kaŵirikaŵiri ankaika kuvinyo wawo manyuchi a mphesa ophikidwa m’miphika yamtovu. Magazini a Newsweek akugwira mawu Nriagu kuti: “Supuni imodzi ya tii ya manyuchi otero inali yokwanira kuchititsa kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu kopambanitsa.” Ndipo atsogoleri a Roma anali kumwa vinyo kwambiri. Nriagu akuyerekezera kuti nduna za Roma zinkamwa lita imodzi kapena asanu a vinyo tsiku lirilonse!

“Zamveka kuti chimodzi cha zifukwa za kugwa kwa dongosolo la Aroma,” ikutero The Medical Post ya ku Canada, “chinali chizoloŵezi chawo chakutsekemeretsa vinyo wawo ndi mtovu.” Lipoti lina limati: “Kuloŵedwa ndi mtovu chifukwa cha kugwiritsira ntchito kwambiri chitsulocho m’ziŵiya, zida, zodzoladzola, zotengera za vinyo, ndi mapaipi amadzi kungakhale kutachititsa misala olamulira [a Roma] ndi ziŵerengero zochuluka za kusabala ndi kupita padera kumene kunalepheretsa mabanja achifumu kubala ana owaloŵa m’malo.”

[Bokosi patsamba 28]

Mtovu m’Nkhalango

NGATI mumakonda zinyama zakutchire, mungavutike mtima kudziŵa kuti pafupifupi mbalame za m’madzi mamiliyoni atatu zimafa chaka chirichonse ndi kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu. Panonso, kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu kukutchedwa “nthenda yosawoneka” pakuti kaŵirikaŵiri kumachitika mosazindikirika. Department of the Interior ya United States ikusimba kuti pa mbalame iriyonse imene osaka nyama amapha, makilogramu 0.23 a zipolopolo zamtovu za mfuti yasabuleta zimangotsala m’nkhalango. Openda za moyo amene anali kufufuza dothi lamasentimita ochepa la pansi pa matenjetenje, maiŵe, ndi nyanja anapeza zipolopolo zamtovu 250,000 pa hekita imodzi m’madera ena! Ndiponso akafumphe amtovu otaika ali mbwe pansi pake.

Nyengo yauzimba itatha, abakha ndi mbalame zina za m’madzi zofunafuna chakudya zimameza zipolopolo zimenezi. Pambuyo pa masiku atatu kapena khumi, ululuwo umaloŵa m’mitsempha ya mwazi ndi kutengeredwa ku ziŵalo zofunika—kumtima, chiŵindi, ndi impso. Podzafika masiku 17 kufikira 21, mbalameyo imakomoka ndi kufa. Ziwombankhanga zingaloŵedwe ndi ululu wa mtovu mwakumeza zipolopolo zamtovu zotsakamira m’matupi a mbalame za m’madzi zimene zimadya. Chiyambire 1966, zoposa 120 za mbalame zosapezekapezeka zimenezi zodya nyama zapezedwa zakufa chifukwa cha kuloŵedwa ndi ululu wa mtovu—zoposa theka la zimenezi chiyambire 1980. Ndithudi, chiŵerengero chimenechi chimangosonyeza ziwombankhanga zimene matupi ake anapimidwa ndi kupeza chochititsa imfazo; mwinamwake changokhala chabe kachidutswa ka chiwonkhetso chonse.