Abasemagunyeni bacabangela bona nangabe umukghwa lo uzokuragela phambili, ngomnyaka ka-2030, inani labantu ababulawa kubhema qobe mnyaka, lizokuba ngaphezu kwe-8 000 000. Begodu babikezela bona ekupheleni kwekhulu lama-21 leminyaka ukubhema kuzabe sekubulele abantu abangaba yi-1 000 000 000.

Ukubhema akulimazi labo ababhemako kwaphela. Kodwana kulimaza namalunga womndeni ngokwamazizo nangokweemali, kuhlanganise nabantu abangaba zi-600 000 abangabhemiko abafa umnyaka nomnyaka ngebanga lokudosa intuthu yegwayi. Lokhu kubangela ubudisi ebantwini boke ngebanga lokobana kwandisa iindleko zokwelatjhwa ngokwepilo ezikhuphuka qobe.

Ngokungafani nobulwelwe oburhatjhekileko obenza abodorhodere baye phasi naphezulu bafunana nepengu, umraro wokubhema lo uyalapheka, begodu ipengu yaziwa kuhle khulu. UDorhodere uMargaret Chan, umnqophisi omkhulu we-World Health Organization, wathi: “Ukurhatjheka kobulwelwe bokubhema igwayi kuyinto eyenziwe mumuntu, begodu kungaqedwa nengabe aborhulumende nomphakathi basebenza ngokubambisana.”

Iphasi lisabele ngobunengi ekulweni nobujamo bepilo obuyingozobu. Kusukela ngo-Arhostosi 2012, iinarha ezingaba li-175 zavumelana bona zilwe nokusetjenziswa kwegwayi. * Nanyana kunjalo, kunabantu abahlohlozela bona ubulwelobu buragele phambili burhatjheka. Qobe mnyaka, ibubulo elithengisa igwayi lisebenzisa iingidigidi zamadola kwezokukhangisa bona likwazi ukufumana abathengi abatjha, khulukhulu hlangana nabafazi nabantu abatjha abahlala eenarheni ezithuthukako. Njengombana igwayi lilutha, inani labantu ababulawa ngilo liyokuhlala liphezulu, ngombana iingidi zeenkulungwana zabantu sele zimilutha. Ngaphandle kobana abantu ababhemako balise ukubhema, isibalo sabahlongakalako sizokuhlala sikhuphuka eminyakeni ematjhumi amane elandelako.

Ukukhangisa nokuba mlutha kwenza abanengi bazizwe babanjwe mumukghwa lo abakhanuka kwanga bangawulisa. Lokhu ngokuhlangabezanwe nakho kwakaNaoko. Wathoma ukubhema asesemutjha. Alandela indlela umukghwa lo egade wenziwa ngayo kumabonakude kwamenza wazizwa atjhaphulukile. Ngitjho namtjhana abona ababelethi bakhe babulawa yikankere yamaphaphu, waragela phambili nokubhema, nalokha akhulisa amadodakazakhe amabili. Uyavuma: “Bengitshwenyekile ngokuba nekankere yamaphaphu ngitshwenyeke nangepilo yabantwabami, kodwana ngabhalelwa kulisa ukubhema. Bengicabanga bona angekhe ngakghona ukulisa ukubhema.”

Nanyana kunjalo, uNaoko walisa ukubhema. Wafumana isikhuthazo sokulisa umukghwa wokubhema emthonjeni ofanako owasiza iingidigidi zabantu bona zilise ukubhema. Ngimuphi umthombo loyo? Sibawa uragele phambili nokufunda.