Dr David Parirenyatwa: Umkhuhlane Woqhuqho oweMalaria Lokhe Uyingozi
Lokhu kuphume emhlanganweni wabaphathintambo bezempilakahle emazweni ezansi kwezwekazi leAfrica njalo kunanzwa usuku lokulwisana loqhuqho iSADC Malaria Day.
BULAWAYO — Umphathintambo wezempilakahle lokunakekelwa kwabantwana, uDokotela David Parirenyatwa, uthi umkhuhlane woqhuqho ulokhu uyingozi ikakhulu kwabesifazana abazithweleyo labantwana abangaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu hatshi kuleli kuphela kodwa kuzwekazi le Africa jikelele. Abaphathintambo bezempilakahle emazweni ezansi kwezwekazi leAfrica bebethe gwaqa kuleli ngeviki ephelileyo kunanzwa usuku lokulwisana loqhuqho iSADC Malaria Day. Phezu kwamatshumi ayisithupha ekhulwini – 63% labantu abasezansi ye Africa bahlala endaweni ezilakho ukuba lomkhuhlane woqhuqho. Ukucubungula kwanyakenye ngalumkhuhlane, i-World Malaria Report 2014, iveza ukuthi abantu phose izigidi ezingamakhulu amabili – 198 million bahlaselwa yilumkhuhlane , kwafa phezu kwengxenye yesigidi – 548 000, phose bonke kungabase Africa. UDokotela Parirenyatwa uthi lanxa ilizwe lizama ukuqeda lumkhuhlane, lisesephezulu inani labantu elihlaselwayo ikakhulu eBinga, eHwange, eMutoko leMount Darwin. Uthi kuyadingeka ukuthi uhulumende asebenzelane lenhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa ama-public private partnerships, ukuchela indawo ezilemiyane kanye lokupha uzulu amalembu wokuvalela imiyane – ama mosquito nets. UNkosazana Anita Moyo, ungomunye wabasebenza kuhlelo lokuchela imiyane ngaphansi kogatsha lwezempilakahle. Ukuchela lokhu, uthi kuqakathekile ekubulaleni imiyane ikakhulu kundawo ezilohlobo oluthwala umkhuhlane woqhuqho. Uthi kulandela ukuna kwezulu, sebengene endaweni ezinengi zeGwanda ezisengozini ngenxa yamaxhaphozi. Wengeze esithi lanxa lezizindawo bezingaziwa njengezoqhuqho njengakuziqinti ezinjengeHwange leBinga, uthi sekube lenani labantu elikhwelayo elitholakala lilalumkhuhlane osokwenze ukuthi baphange bayevikela izakhamizi. Umongikazi, uNkosikazi Tatenda Maphosa, uthi lanxa umkhuhlane lo udinga ukuthi uhulumende aphathise ekucheleni imiyane kukhona izakhamizi ezingakwenza ukuze imiyane ingagcwali indawo yonke. Uthi kuqakathekile ukuthi abantu bahlale endaweni ezihlanzekileyo, ezicentiweyo njalo bavale amagodi alakho ukuzalela imiyane. Uthi lanxa inengi labantu likhala ngemali, kuqakathekile ukuthi imuli, ikakhulu abantwana abancane labesifazana abazithweleyo, bathole ama-nets afakwe imithi, alakho ukutholakala emakiliniki kundawo ezaziwa ukuthi zigcwele umkhuhlane woqhuqho. Isakhamuzi sakoBulawayo, uMnumzana Eric Damasane, uthi lanxa uhulumende ekhangelele ukuphathisana lenhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa kuqakathekile ukuthi laye abe lemali yokuphathisa izizalwane zakuleli ezikundawo ezivame ukuhlaselwa ngumkhuhlane woqhuqho hatshi ukutshona ecela. Inhlanganiso ezimele yodwa iCommunity Health Working Group ingenye yenhlanganiso ezisebenzelana lozulu ukuthuthukisa impilakahle elizweni. Obona ngokuhanjiswa kwembiko, uNkosikazi Hanani Khupe, uthi bayangena kundawo ezilomkhuhlane woqhuqho bekhulumisana lezakhamizi ukuthi kungaphephiswa njani impilo zabesifazana abazithweleyo kanye labantwana abaleminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu. Uthi kuqakathekile ekulwisaneni lemikhuhlane enjengoqhuqho ukuthi abezempilakahle bakhulumisane lezakhamizi benikana amacebo angaphathisa ngoba ukuza lamasu avela kwezinye indawo avame ukungasebenzi lapho abantu bengawakhwabithi. Wengeze esithi kuqakathekile ukunika uzulu ulwazi ngemikhuhlane ngoba abanye bacina bejwayele umkhuhlane bengasasukumeli laphezulu lapho ilunga lemuli lithe lahlaselwa. Lanxa umkhuhlane lo ulokhu uyingozi elizweni, inani labantu elifayo selehla livela ku khulu lamatshumi ayisithupha lanhlanu – 165 kunkulungwane yabantu 1000 ngomnyaka ka 2004 lisiya kumatshumi amabili lasitshiya galolunye – 29 kunkulungwane ngo 2013. Okwakhathesi umumo mubi ebantwaneni lapho umntwana oyedwa kwabahlanu ofayo ngomnyaka uyabe ebulewe ngumkhuhlane woqhuqho.