Kupambana ndi Kulephera pa Nkhondo Yolimbana ndi Matenda

PA August 5, 1942, Dr. Alexander Fleming anazindikira kuti wodwala wake wina, amene anali mnzake, anali atatsala pang’ono kumwalira. Mwamuna wa zaka 52 ameneyo ankadwala matenda oumitsa khosi, ndipo ngakhale kuti Fleming anayesayesa izi ndi izi, mnzakeyo sanasinthe ndipo anali atakomoka.

Zaka 15 m’mbuyomo, Fleming anatulukira mwangozi mankhwala enaake odabwitsa kwambiri amene amapangidwa ndi nkhungu yabuluu yobiriwirirako. Anawatcha mankhwalawo kuti penisilini. Anaona kuti anali ndi mphamvu yopha mabakiteriya, koma sanathe kupatulako penisilini wosasakanikirana ndi kanthu kena kalikonse, ndipo anawayesa pophera tizilombo toyambitsa matenda basi. Komabe, mu 1938, Howard Florey ndi anthu amene anali kuchita nawo kafukufuku pa Yunivesite ya Oxford anayesera kupanga penisilini wokwanira woti amuyesere pa anthu. Fleming anamuimbira telefoni Florey, amene analola kutumiza penisilini yense amene anali naye kwa Fleming. Uwu unali mwayi womaliza wa Fleming woti ayesere kuchiza mnzake uja.

Fleming atamubaya mnzakeyo ndi penisilini pamnofu, sizinathandize, choncho anaganiza zomubaya mu fupa la msana. Penisiliniyo anapha tizilomboto, ndipo patangotha mlungu umodzi, wodwala wa Fleming uja anatuluka m’chipatala atachiriratu. Ichi chinali chiyambi cha nthaŵi yapadera yogwiritsa ntchito mankhwala opha tizilombo, ndipo anthu anali atapeza chida chatsopano pa nkhondo yolimbana ndi matenda.

Nthaŵi Yapadera Yogwiritsa Ntchito Mankhwala Opha Tizilombo

Atangoyamba kumene, mankhwala opha tizilombo ankaoneka ngati anali mankhwala a zonse. Matenda amene m’mbuyomu anali osachiritsika omwe amayamba chifukwa cha mabakiteriya, nkhungu, ndi tizilombo tina tsopano akanatha kuchiritsidwa. Chifukwa cha mankhwala atsopanoŵa, anthu ofa ndi matenda oumitsa khosi, chibayo, ndi nthenda inayake yofanana ndi katsabola, anachepa kwambiri. Matenda amene munthu amawatengera m’chipatala, amene kale anthu ankafa nawo, tsopano ankachiritsidwa m’masiku ochepa chabe.

Chiyambire nthaŵi ya Fleming, anthu ochita kafukufuku akonza mankhwala ena opha tizilombo ambirimbiri, ndipo kafukufuku wofuna kukonza mankhwala ena atsopano akupitirirabe. M’zaka 60 zapitazi, mankhwala opha tizilombo asanduka chida chofunika kwambiri pa nkhondo yolimbana ndi matenda. George Washington akanakhala kuti ali ndi moyo lero, madokotala mosakayikira akanamupatsa mankhwala opha tizilombo toyambitsa zilonda zake zapakhosi zija, ndipo akanachira mwina patangotha mlungu umodzi. Mankhwala opha tizilombo athandiza pafupifupi aliyense wa ife kulimbana ndi matenda osiyanasiyana. Komabe, zaoneka kuti mankhwala opha tizilombo ali m’poipira pake.

Mankhwala opha tizilombo sachiza matenda omwe amayamba chifukwa cha mavairasi, monga Edzi ndi fuluwenza.  Kuwonjezera apo, anthu ena sayanjana nawo mankhwalaŵa. Ndipo mankhwala amene amapha tizilombo tosiyanasiyana angaphe tizilombo tothandiza topezeka m’matupi mwathu. Koma mwina vuto lalikulu ndi mankhwala opha tizilombo n’loti anthu amawagwiritsa ntchito mopitirira muyeso kapena samaliza kuwamwa.

Kusamaliza kumwa mankhwala kumachitika pamene odwala sanamalize kumwa mankhwala amene awapatsa, mwina chifukwa chakuti akupeza bwino kapena chifukwa chakuti mankhwala ake ndi ofunika kuwamwa nthaŵi yaitali. Chotsatirapo chake n’chakuti mankhwalawo sangaphe tizilombo tonse toyambitsa matenda, ndipo tizilombo tina timapulumuka, timasanduka tosamva mankhwala, ndipo timayamba kufalikira. Zimenezi zachitika nthaŵi zambiri pofuna kuchiritsa TB.

Madokotala ndi alimi agwiritsa ntchito mankhwala opha tizilombo mopitirira muyeso. “Madokotala amauza anthu kuti amwe mankhwala opha tizilombo ngakhale pamene sakufunikira kutero ku United States, ndipo zimenezi zimachitika kwambiri kuposa pamenepa m’mayiko ena ambiri,” linafotokoza choncho buku lakuti Man and Microbes. “Mankhwala ambiri aperekedwa kwa ziweto, osati kuti zichire, koma kuti zikule mwamsanga, ndipo zimenezi n’zimene zachititsa kwambiri kuti pakhale tizilombo tosamva mankhwala.” Bukulo linachenjeza kuti zotsatirapo zake n’zakuti “mwina sitipezanso mankhwala atsopano opha tizilombo.”

 Komabe, kupatula pa zinthu zodetsa nkhaŵa zimenezi zokhudza mankhwala opha tizilombo, sayansi ya zamankhwala inapita patsogolo m’zaka za m’ma 1900 zakomalizira. Anthu ochita kafukufuku wa zamankhwala anaoneka kuti angathe kupeza mankhwala otha kuchiza pafupifupi nthenda iliyonse. Ndipo katemera anapereka chiyembekezo chotha kuteteza anthu ku matenda.

Kupambana kwa Sayansi ya Zamankhwala

Lipoti lotchedwa World Health Report 1999 linanena kuti: “Katemera ndi chinthu chimene chayenda bwino kwambiri kuposa chinthu china chilichonse pankhani yokhudza thanzi la anthu m’mbiri yonse.” Anthu mamiliyoni ambiri apulumuka kale chifukwa chakuti anthu ayesetsa kutemera munthu aliyense padziko lapansi. Kutemera anthu padziko lonse kwathetsa nthomba, nthenda imene inapha anthu ambiri kuposa amene anafa pa nkhondo zonse zimene zinachitika m’zaka za m’ma 1900, ndipo katemera wapadziko lonse wofanana ndi ameneyo wachititsa kuti poliyo itsale pang’ono kutheratu. (Onani bokosi lakuti “Kugonjetsa Nthomba ndi Poliyo.”) Ana ambiri masiku ano amalandira katemera amene amawateteza ku matenda ofala akupha.

Matenda ena achepetsedwa pogwiritsa ntchito njira zosavuta kuzitsatira. Matenda amene munthu amawatengera ku madzi monga kolera savutitsa anthu kumadera kumene anthu ali aukhondo ndiponso kumene kuli madzi akumwa abwino. M’mayiko ambiri, chifukwa chakuti anthu angathe kuonana ndi dokotala kapena kupita kuchipatala mosavuta, matenda ambiri amawapeza ndi kuwachiza asanafike poti munthu angafe nawo. Kudya bwino ndiponso kukhala malo abwino, kuphatikizapo kukhwimitsa malamulo okhudza kusamala ndi kusunga bwino zakudya, zachititsa kuti anthu akhale ndi thanzi labwino.

Pamene asayansi anatulukira zimene zimayambitsa matenda opatsirana, mabungwe a boma azaumoyo anakhala okhoza kuchitapo kanthu poletsa miliri kuti isafalikire. Taonani chitsanzo chimodzi chokha. Mliri wa makoswe utagwa ku San Francisco mu 1907 unapha anthu ochepa chifukwa akuluakulu a mzindawu nthaŵi yomweyo anayamba kalikiliki wopha makoswe amene nthata zawo zimafalitsa matendaŵa. Mosiyana ndi zimenezo, kuyambira mu 1896, nthenda yomweyo inapha anthu teni miliyoni ku India m’zaka 12 chifukwa chakuti anali asanatulukire chimene chimayambitsa nthendayi.

Kulephera Polimbana ndi Matenda

Mwachionekere, mbali yaikulu ya nkhondo yolimbana ndi matenda yayenda bwino. Koma nthaŵi zina kupambana polimbana ndi matenda kwachitika m’mayiko olemera okha a padziko lapansi. Matenda otha kuchiritsika amaphabe anthu mamiliyoni ambiri chifukwa chosoŵa ndalama basi. M’mayiko amene akutukuka kumene, anthu ambiri akukhalabe m’malo auve, sapeza chithandizo chamankhwala, ndipo alibe madzi akumwa abwino. Kukwanitsa kuti anthu akhale ndi zinthu zofunika zimenezi kukuvuta chifukwa chakuti anthu ambiri akuchoka m’midzi n’kumakakhala m’mizinda ikuluikulu ya mayiko amene akutukuka kumene. Chifukwa cha zinthu ngati zimenezi, bungwe la World Health Organization linati anthu osauka padziko lapansi lino ndi amene “amavutika kwambiri ndi matenda.”

Kudzikonda kumene kumachititsa kuti anthu asaoneretu za m’tsogolo n’kumene kumachititsa kwambiri kusiyana kumeneku pakati pa mayiko olemera ndi osauka. Buku lakuti Man and Microbes linati: “Matenda ena opatsirana oipa kwambiri amene amapha anthu amaoneka ngati ochitika kutali ndi mayiko olemera. Ena mwa matenda ameneŵa amachitika makamaka m’mayiko osauka a m’madera otentha kapena oyandikana ndi madera otentha basi.” Popeza mayiko olemera otukuka ndi makampani opanga mankhwala mwina sangapindule mwachindunji, amanyinyirika kuti aike padera ndalama zochizira matenda ameneŵa.

Khalidwe lotayirira la anthu ndi chinthu chinanso chimene chimafalitsa matenda. Zimenezi zaoneka bwino kwambiri ndi kachilombo koyambitsa nthenda ya Edzi, kamene anthu amapatsirana kudzera mu zinthu zamadzimadzi za m’thupi. M’zaka zochepa zokha, mliri umenewu wafalikira padziko lonse. (Onani bokosi lakuti “Edzi—Mliri Wamakono.”) Katswiri wofufuza za kufala kwa matenda dzina lake Joe McCormick anati: “Anthu adzipweteka okha. Apa sitikudzudzula khalidwe la munthu wina aliyense, koma ndi mmene zilili basi.”

Kodi anthu mosadziŵa anathandiza bwanji kufalitsa kachilombo koyambitsa Edzi? Buku lakuti The Coming Plague linatchula zinthu zotsatirazi: Kusintha khalidwe, makamaka chizoloŵezi chogonana ndi anthu ambiri, kunachititsa kuti pakhale matenda ambiri opatsirana pogonana, amene anachititsa kuti kukhale kosavuta kuti kachilombo koyambitsa Edzi kazike mizu ndipo munthu mmodzi azitha kupatsira anthu ambiri kachilomboka. Kugwiritsa ntchito masingano amene agwiritsidwa kale ntchito ndiponso amene ali ndi matenda pobayira anthu jakisoni m’mayiko amene akutukuka kumene kapena pobayira mankhwala osokoneza bongo kunachititsanso  kuti matendaŵa afale kwambiri. Malonda aphindu kwabasi apadziko lonse ogulitsa magazi anachititsanso kuti kachilombo koyambitsa matenda a Edzi kazifala pochoka kwa munthu mmodzi wopereka magazi kupita kwa anthu ambirimbiri olandira magaziwo.

Monga momwe taonera kale, kugwiritsa ntchito mankhwala opha tizilombo mopitirira muyeso kapena kusamaliza kumwa mankhwala kwachititsa kuti tizilombo tosamva mankhwala tibadwe. Vuto limeneli n’lalikulu ndipo likuipiraipira. Mabakiteriya otchedwa staphylococcus, amene nthaŵi zambiri amachititsa chilonda kuti chitukusire, ankaphedwa mosavuta ndi mankhwala opangidwa kuchokera ku penisilini. Koma masiku ano mankhwala opha tizilombo ameneŵa nthaŵi zambiri sagwira ntchito. Choncho madokotala ayenera kugwiritsa ntchito mankhwala opha tizilombo atsopano okwera mtengo amene zipatala za m’mayiko amene akutukuka kumene sizingakwanitse kugula. Ngakhale mankhwala opha tizilombo atsopano kwambiri sangaphe tizilombo tina, zimene zikuchititsa kuti matenda amene munthu amawatengera m’chipatala achuluke ndiponso azipha anthu ambiri. Dr. Richard Krause, amene kale anali mkulu wa bungwe la U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ananena mosapita m’mbali kuti panopa kuli “mliri wa tizilombo tosamva mankhwala.”

“Kodi Zinthu Ziliko Bwino Panopa?”

Panopa, kumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 2000, zikuonekeratu kuti vuto la matenda silinathe. Kufalikira kosaletseka kwa Edzi, kubadwa kwa tizilombo toyambitsa matenda tosamva mankhwala, ndi kuyambiranso kwa matenda akale akupha monga TB ndi malungo zikusonyeza kuti nkhondo yolimbana ndi matenda siinathebe.

“Kodi zinthu ziliko bwino panopa kuposa mmene zinalili zaka 100 zapitazo?” anafunsa choncho munthu amene analandira mphoto ya Nobel Prize, Joshua Lederberg. “M’mbali zambiri, zinthu zaipiraipira,” iye anatero. “Talekerera tizilombo toyambitsa matenda, ndipo panopa tikukumana ndi mavuto chifukwa cha kulekerera kumeneko.” Kodi mavuto amene alipoŵa angathe ngati anthu a sayansi ya zamankhwala ndi mayiko onse apadziko lapansi atachita khama kulimbana nawo? Kodi matenda opatsirana oopsa kwambiri adzathetsedwa pamapeto pake, ngati mmene nthomba inathetsedwera? Nkhani yathu yomaliza iyankha mafunso ameneŵa.

[Bokosi/Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Kugonjetsa Nthomba ndi Poliyo

Kumapeto kwa October 1977, bungwe la World Health Organization (WHO) linapeza munthu womaliza kudwala nthomba. Ali Maow Maalin, amene ankagwira ntchito yophika kuchipatala ndipo ankakhala ku Somalia, sanadwale kwambiri ndi nthendayi, ndipo anachira patatha milungu yochepa. Anthu onse amene amakhala naye pafupi anali atalandira katemera wa nthendayi.

Kwa zaka ziŵiri, zimene zinaoneka ngati zikuchedwa kutha, madokotalawo anadikira mwankhaŵa. Analonjeza kuti adzapereka mphoto ya $1,000 kwa munthu amene adzawauze za munthu aliyense “amene akudwala nthomba panthaŵiyo.” Palibe amene anatha kulandira mphotoyo, ndipo pa May 8, 1980, bungwe la WHO linalengeza kuti “Dziko lapansi ndi anthu ake onse amasuka ku nthomba.” Zaka 10 zokha m’mbuyomo, nthomba inkapha anthu 2 miliyoni chaka chilichonse. Kwa nthaŵi yoyamba m’mbiri ya anthu, nthenda yopatsirana yaikulu inathetsedwa. *

Poliyo, nthenda ya ana imene imapundula munthu, inaoneka ngati nayonso ingathe kuthetsedwa chimodzimodzi. Mu 1955, Jonas Salk anakonza katemera wamphamvu wa poliyo, ndipo ntchito yotemera anthu inayamba ku United States ndi m’mayiko ena. Patapita nthaŵi anakonza katemera wodonthezera m’kamwa. Mu 1988 bungwe la WHO linayamba ntchito yapadziko lonse yofuna kuthetsa poliyo.

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, amene panthaŵiyo anali mkulu wa bungwe la WHO anati: “Pamene tinayamba ntchito yothetsa poliyo mu 1988, nthendayi inkapundula ana opitirira 1000 tsiku lililonse. Mu 2001, anthu amene anadwala poliyo m’chaka chonsecho anali osakwana 1000.” Panopa ndi m’mayiko osakwana teni mmene mukadali poliyo, ngakhale kuti pafunika ndalama zowonjezera pofuna kuthandiza mayiko ameneŵa kuthetseratu nthendayi.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi]

Mnyamata wa ku Ethiopia akulandira katemera wa poliyo wodonthezera m’kamwa

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

© WHO/P. Virot

[Bokosi/Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Edzi—Mliri Wamakono

Edzi yasanduka nthenda imene ikuwopseza dziko lonse lapansi. Panopa, zaka 20 kuchokera pamene anaitulukira, anthu opitirira 60 miliyoni atenga kale kachilombo koyambitsa nthendayi. Ndipo anthu azaumoyo akuchenjeza kuti mliri wa Edzi ukadali “kumayambiriro kwake.” Anthu amene akutenga kachilombo koyambitsa nthendayi “akuchuluka kwambiri kuposa mmene anthu ankaganizira kuti zingakhalire m’mbuyomu,” ndipo zotsatirapo zake m’madera a padziko lapansi amene akhudzidwa kwambiri ndi nthendayi n’zomvetsa chisoni kwambiri.

“Anthu ambiri amene ali ndi kachilombo ka HIV kapena Edzi padziko lonse lapansi ndi anthu amene afika pamsinkhu woti atha kugwira ntchito bwino kwambiri,” linafotokoza motero lipoti la bungwe la United Nations. Chifukwa cha zimenezi, pali chikhulupiriro chakuti m’mayiko angapo kum’mwera kwa Africa kuno, anthu okwana 10 mwa anthu 100 alionse kufika pa anthu 20 mwa anthu 100 alionse amene ali pamsinkhu wogwira ntchito adzafa pofika chaka cha 2005. Lipotilo linanenanso kuti: “Kuchigawo cha Africa cha kum’mwera kwa Sahara, anthu amayembekezeka kukhala ndi moyo zaka 47 panopa. Kukanakhala kuti kulibe Edzi, bwenzi akuyembekezeka kukhala ndi moyo zaka 62.”

Zoyesayesa zofuna kupeza katemera sizinaphule kanthu, ndipo ndi anthu 240,000 okha pa anthu 6 miliyoni odwala Edzi m’mayiko amene akutukuka kumene omwe akulandira mankhwala. Panopa, Edzi ilibe mankhwala ndipo madokotala akuda nkhaŵa kuti anthu ambiri amene ali ndi kachilombo koyambitsa Edzi pamapeto pake adzadwala nthendayi.

[Chithunzi]

Maselo oyera a mtundu wa T ogwidwa ndi kachilombo ka HIV

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Godo-Foto

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Wogwira ntchito m’chipinda chopimira tizilombo akuyang’anitsitsa mtundu wovuta kuchiza wa kachilombo koyambitsa matenda

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

CDC/Anthony Sanchez