Achichepere Akufunsa Kuti . . .

AIDS—Kodi Ndili Paupandu?

MAGAZINI a Newsweek ananena kuti chilengezocho ‘chinaziziritsa nkhongono dziko.’ Pa November 7, 1991, katswiri wamaseŵera othamanga wa ku United States Earvin “Magic” Johnson anauza amtolankhani kuti anayambukiridwa ndi kachilombo ka AIDS. Anthu atamva za chivomerezo chochititsa mantha chimenechi, malo odziŵitsa anthu za AIDS anatanganidwa ndi matelefoni amene anaimbidwa. Zipatala zina zinadzaza ndi anthu ofuna kupimidwa kaamba ka AIDS. Ena anafikira pakuchepetsa uchiwerewere wawo—kwa kanthaŵi kochepa.

Mwinamwake zimenezi zinaopsa kwambiri achichepere. Mtsogoleri wa mautumiki azaumoyo pa yunivesite ina anati: “Kwa kanthaŵi kochepa, ophunzirawo analabadira uthenga wakuti ‘zinachitika kwa iye, zikhoza kuchitika kwa ine.’ . . . Kwa ophunzira ambiri, zimene zinachitika kwa Magic Johnson sizimatanthauza kuti ayenera kusintha khalidwe lawo. Iwo amaganizabe kuti akhoza ‘kuzemba.’”

Baibulo linalosera kuti nthaŵi zathu zidzadziŵika ndi “miliri,” kutanthauza matenda oyambukira ofalikira mofulumira. (Luka 21:11) AIDS ikhozadi kutchedwa mliri. Kunatenga zaka zisanu ndi zitatu—kuyambira mu 1981 mpaka 1989—kuti odwala AIDS 100,000 oyambirira atulukiridwe mu United States. Koma kunatenga zaka ziŵiri zokha kuti odwala ena okwanira 100,000 achitiridwe lipoti!

Malinga nkunena kwa bungwe la U.S. Centers for Disease Control, chiŵerengero chochititsa mantha chimenechi “chimasonyeza kuwonjezeka kofulumira kwa mliri wa [AIDS] mu United States.” Komabe, AIDS ndimliri wapadziko lonse, umene ukuchititsa imfa ndi chisoni chosaneneka m’Afirika, Asia, Ulaya, ndi Latin America. Mosadabwitsa, Dr. Marvin Belzer wa ku Children’s Hospital mu Los Angeles akutcha AIDS “vuto lochititsa mantha kwambiri limene achichepere akukumana nalo m’ma 1990.”

Kuyambukira Kosadziŵika

Kodi nthenda yachilendoyi nchiyani, ndipo nchifukwa ninji ili yakupha kwambiri chotero? Madokotala amakhulupirira kuti AIDS imayamba pamene kanthu kosawoneka ndi maso—kachilombo kotchedwa HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)—kaloŵa m’mwazi. Kataloŵa m’mwazimo, kachilomboko kamayamba ulendo wofunafuna ndi kuwononga mtundu wina wa maselo oyera amwazi a thupi, maselo a T othandizira. Maselo ameneŵa amachita mbali yaikulu m’kuthandiza thupi kulimbana ndi matenda. Komabe, kachilombo ka AIDS kamawapha mphamvu, kuwononga dongosolo lochinjiriza ku matenda.

Pangapite nthaŵi yaitali munthu woyambukiridwayo asanayambe kudwala. Ena angakhale opanda zizindikiro kwa pafupifupi zaka khumi. Koma m’kupita kwa nthaŵi zizindikiro zonga za chimfine zimayamba—kuwonda ndi kusafuna kudya, malungo, ndi kutseguka m’mimba. Pamene dongosolo lochinjiriza ku matenda lipitiriza kufooka, mkholeyo amayambukiridwa ndi matenda ena ambiri—chibayo, meningitis, chifuwa chachikulu, kapena mitundu ina ya kansa—yotchedwa opportunistic chifukwa chakuti amatengera mwaŵi mpata woperekedwa ndi kuchepa kwa mphamvu ya thupi yakulimbana ndi matenda.

“Ndimamva kupweteka nthaŵi zonse,” akutero munthu wina wa zaka 20 wodwala AIDS. Nthendayo yachititsa zilonda m’matumbo ake ndi ndidi. Komabe, AIDS yeniyeni imatanthauza zoposa kusauka ndi kupweteka; kwa onse odwala nthendayo imatanthauza imfa. Kuyambira 1981 kachilomboko kafalikira kwa anthu oposa miliyoni imodzi mu United States mokha. Oposa 160,000 afa kale. Akatswiri akulosera kuti pofika chaka cha 1995, chiŵerengero cha akufa chidzaŵirikiza kaŵiri. Pakali pano kulibe mankhwala odziŵika ochiritsa AIDS.

Achichepere Amene Ali Paupandu

Kufika panthaŵi ino, peresenti yaing’ono yokha ya matenda a AIDS amene anachitiridwa lipoti—yochepera pa peresenti imodzi mu United States—imakhudza achichepere. Chotero, inuyo simungadziŵe achichepere amene anafa ndi nthendayo. Zimenezi sizikutanthauza kuti achichepere sali paupandu! Pafupifupi mmodzi mwa odwala AIDS asanu alionse mu United States ali m’zaka zawo za m’ma 20. Popeza kuti pamapita zaka zingapo zizindikiro zake zisanaonekere, ambiri a anthu ameneŵa anayambukiridwa ali m’zaka zawo za pakati pa 13 ndi 19. Ngati mkhalidwe watsopanowu upitiriza, achichepere zikwi zambiri adzakhala odwala AIDS.

Malinga nkunena kwa bungwe la U.S. Centers for Disease Control, kachilombo kakuphako kamabisala “m’mwazi, ubwamuna, ndi madzi akumpheto yachikazi a anthu oyambukiridwa.” Chotero HIV imapatsiridwa mwa “kugonana—kwakumpheto, kumatako, kapena pakamwa—ndi munthu woyambukiridwa.” Ambiri atenga nthendayi mwanjira imeneyi. AIDS ingapatsiridwenso “mwakugwiritsira kapena kulasidwa ndi singano kapena jekeseni imene inagwiritsiridwa ntchito ndi munthu woyambukiridwa kapena pa munthu wotero.” Ndiponso, “anthu ena ayambukiridwa mwakulandira mwazi” wokhala ndi HIV.—Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing: Facts, Issues, and Answers.

Chotero achichepere ambiri ali paupandu. Ziŵerengero zochititsa mantha za achichepere (ena amanena kuti ochuluka kufika pa 60 peresenti mu United States) anayamba agwiritsirapo ntchito mankhwala oletsedwa. Popeza kuti ena a mankhwala ameneŵa ngochita kulasa ndi jekeseni, upandu wa kuyambukiridwa ndi jekeseni woipa ngwaukulu. Malinga ndi kufufuza kwina kwa ku United States, 82 peresenti ya ophunzira a kusekondale anamwapo zakumwa zoledzeretsa, pafupifupi 50 peresenti amamwa pakali pano. Simungatenge AIDS chifukwa chomwera moŵa m’botolo, koma pambuyo pake moŵawo ungasokoneze malingaliro anu ndipo kungakhale kotheka kuti mungachite zinthu zosayenera zimene zikakuikani m’khalidwe laupandu—chisembwere, kugonana ndi ofanana nawo ziŵalo kapena osiyana nawo.

Mu 1970 yochepera pa 5 peresenti ya asungwana azaka 15 anali atachitapo chisembwere. Pofika 1988 chiŵerengero chimenecho chinakwera kuposa pa 25 peresenti. Pofika msinkhu wa zaka 20, monga momwe kufufuza kochitidwa kukusonyezera, 75 peresenti ya akazi ndi 86 peresenti ya amuna mu United States amakhala okangalika m’zakugonana. Chiŵerengero china chochititsa mantha nachi: Pafupifupi mmodzi mwa achichepere asanu anagonanapo ndi anthu oposa anayi. Inde, achichepere owonjezereka akugonana ukwati usanakhale, ndipo akuyamba ali aang’ono kwambiri.

Mkhalidwewo ngoipanso m’maiko ena. M’maiko a ku Latin America, achichepere okwanira atatu mwa anayi amagonana ukwati usanakhale. M’maiko a mu Afirika kwasimbidwa kuti amuna ambiri amasankha kugonana ndi asungwana achichepere kuyesa kudzitetezera ku kachilombo ka AIDS. Kodi chotulukapo nchiyani? Kufalikira kwakukulu kwa matenda a AIDS pakati pa asungwana achichepere a mu Afirika.

Kufalikira kwa AIDS sikunaletse kwenikweni mkhalidwe wosakaza. Talingalirani za dziko lina la ku Latin America. Yoposa 60 peresenti ya “achichepere osakwatiwa okangalika m’zakugonana ali paupandu waukulu wakutenga kachilombo ka AIDS.” Komabe, osakwanira 10 peresenti ndiwo amaganiza kuti ali paupandu. Iwo amadziuza kuti: ‘Sizidzachitika kwa ine.’ Koma dziko limeneli lili ndi “umodzi wa milingo yaikulu kwambiri ya kuyambukiridwa ndi HIV m’maiko onse a ku America.”—U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Zikhoza Kuchitika!

Mliri wa AIDS umagogomezera kuwona kwa machenjezo a m’Baibulo akuti “chimaliziro chake” cha chisembwere “nchowawa ngati chivumulo.” (Miyambo 5:3-5; 7:21-23) Ndithudi, kwakukulukulu Baibulo limanena za chivulazo chauzimu ndi malingaliro. Koma siziyenera kutidabwitsa kuti chisembwere chilinso ndi chimaliziro chosakaza mwakuthupi.

Chotero nkofunika kuti achichepere ayang’anizane mowona mtima ndi ngozi yakutenga AIDS ndi matenda ena opatsirana mwakugonana. Mkhalidwe wodzigangira wakuti AIDS ‘singandiyambukire’ udzatsimikizira kukhala wakupha. “Pamene uli ndi zaka 15 kapena 16 kapena ngakhale 17, 18, 19, kapena 20, umafuna kuganiza kuti sungayambukiridwe,” anatero mnyamata wotchedwa David. Komabe, zenizeni zinatsimikizira kukhala zosiyana. David anayambukiridwa ndi kachilombo ka AIDS pamsinkhu wa zaka 15.

Kunena mosabisa, ndiye kuti: Ngati mukugwiritsira ntchito mankhwala oletsedwa kapena kugonana ukwati usanakhale, muli paupandu! Komabe, bwanji za zimene anthu amanena za “kugonana kotetezereka”? Kodi pali njira zotsimikizirika zodzitetezera nokha ku mliriwu? Nkhani yathu yotsatira mumpambo umenewu idzayankha mafunso ameneŵa.

[Bokosi patsamba 22]

Matenda Ena Opatsirana Mwakugonana

AIDS yafalitsidwa kwambiri m’manyuzipepala. Komabe, The Medical Post  ikuchenjeza kuti: ‘Canada ali pakati pa mliri wa STD [matenda opatsirana mwakugonana] a achichepere.’ Canada sali yekha. “Chaka chilichonse achichepere 2.5 miliyoni a ku United States amayambukiridwa ndi STD,” likutero gulu la Center for Population Options la ku United States. “Chiŵerengero chimenechi chimaimira pafupifupi mmodzi mwa achichepere okangalika m’zakugonana asanu ndi mmodzi ndipo mmodzi mwa asanu a matenda a STD m’dzikolo.”

Mwachitsanzo, chindoko chimene panthaŵi ina chinalingaliridwa kuti chinali pafupi kutha, chabwereranso m’zaka zaposachedwapa, chikumayambukira achichepere ambiri. Matenda a chipata ndi chinzonono (matenda a STD ofala kwambiri mu United States) atsimikiziranso kukhala osakhoza kuthetsedwa. Ndipo achichepere ochuluka kwambiri akuyambukiridwa. Mofananamo, The New York Times inasimba za “chiwonjezeko chachikulu” cha chiŵerengero cha achichepere amene akudwala zilonda zakumakhalo. Achichepere zikwi zambiri akudwalanso matenda azilonda a herpes. Malinga nkunena kwa Science News, “anthu amene ali ndi zilonda zakumakhalo ali ndi kuthekera kwakukulu kwakuyambukiridwa ndi [HIV], imene imachititsa AIDS.”

Gulu la Center for Population Options likuti: “Pamene kuli kwakuti achichepere ambiri akudwala matenda a STD kuposa gulu lina lililonse, iwo sali othekera kwenikweni kulandira chisamaliro chamankhwala. Pamene matenda a STD asiyidwa osapendedwa ndi kuchiritsidwa, amachititsa matenda akutupa kwa kumakhalo, kusabala, kutenga pathupi kosachitikira m’chibaliro, ndi kansa yakuchibaliro.”

[Zithunzi pamasamba 20, 21]

Aliyense wodzilasa jekeseni wa mankhwala oletsedwa kapena wochita chisembwere ali paupandu waukulu wakutenga AIDS