Umbulali Okhuphisana Nemfazwe
XA UMARILYN oneminyaka engama-23 ubudala wathi wabhitya waza wasoloko etyhafile, wacinga ukuba oko kubangelwa kukuba wayesandul’ ukumitha. Wayithi thsuphe kugqirha wakhe into yokuba wayekhohlela intw’ engapheliyo. Ugqirha wathi unentsholongwane emiphungeni waza wamnika izibulali-zintsholongwane. Kamva, xa uMarilyn waqalisa ukubila xa elele, yamkhathaza gqitha loo nto. Wabuyela kugqirha wakhe, owenza amalungiselelo okuba axilongwe isifuba ngeX reyi.
Iimpawu ezafunyanwa kwiX reyi zafuna ukuba kuthatyathwe amanyathelo angxamisekileyo, kodwa uMarilyn akazange afunyanwe xa watsalelwa umnxeba. UMarilyn wathi: “Ugqirha wathetha nomama waza wamxelela ukuba ndandigula ngokwenene. Umama wandikhangela waza wandixelela ukuba mandikhawuleze ndiye [kugqirha]. Wandithumela esibhedlele apho ndafika ndaxilongwa ngeX reyi kwakhona ndaza ndalaliswa.”
UMarilyn wothuka akuva ukuba unesifo sephepha. Wayecinga ukuba uza kufa, kodwa emva kokuba enyangwe ngamayeza alwa nesifo sephepha, waphinda waphila kungabanga thuba lide.
Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uMarilyn othuke xa enesifo sephepha. Ukuza kuthi ga kutshanje, kwaneengcungela ezininzi zezempilo bezikholelwa kwelokuba isifo sephepha singqengqiswe ngophothe kumazwe ahambele phambili. Omnye oncedisa kwikliniki ekwiziko lezonyango eLondon wathi: “Bendicinga ukuba siye satshayelwa kanye njengobhubhani. Kodwa xa ndaqalisa ukusebenza apha, ndafumanisa ukuba siseyinto ngobunto bayo ibe senz’ unothanda esixekweni.”
Apho besisele sitshayelwe khona isifo sephepha, siye saphinda sabuya; kwiindawo ebezisenaso, sitsib’ ilitye likaPhungela. Kunokuba sinikezele, isifo sephepha siqengq’ ugodo ngendlela efanayo nemfazwe nendlala. Khawuqwalasele oku:
◼ Phezu kwako nje ukuhambela phambili ngendlela emangalisayo kwezamayeza namhlanje, kwiminyaka elikhulu edluleyo isifo sephepha siye sathumela kwaNtsonga-nyawana abantu abamalunga nama-200 ezigidi.
◼ Abantu abangamawaka amabini ezigidi—umntu omnye kwabathathu kubemi behlabathi—sele bosulelwe yintsholongwane yesifo sephepha. Ukongezelela, umntu omnye wosulelwa sisifo sephepha mzuzwana ngamnye!
◼ Ngowe-1995 inani labantu abanesifo sephepha esisele siqatsele lalimalunga nama-22 ezigidi. Abamalunga nezigidi ezithathu bafa, uninzi lwabo lukumazwe asakhasayo.
Ekubeni kukho amayeza anamandla okulwa nesifo sephepha, kutheni esi sifo siqhubeka sithwaxa uluntu? Ngaba siya kuze singqengqiswe ngophothe? Ngaba ikho indlela yokuzikhusela kuso? Amanqaku alandelayo aza kuyiphendula le mibuzo.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]
New Jersey Medical School—National Tuberculosis Center