Inhlanganiso yomanyano wamazwe womhlaba eyeWorld Health Organization isiveze ukukhathazeka okukhulu ngokuphazamiseka kwenhlelo zokuhlaba abantwana amajekiseni okubavikela emikhuhlaneni enjengabondingindi leminye, ngalesi sikhathi ohulumende bemazweni amanengi sebeqakathekisa ukulwisana lomkhuhlane weCovid-19, ikakhulu ezwekazi leAfrica okugoqela eZimbabwe.
Ingcwethi zezempilakahle zikhuthaze abazali ukuba loba besebunzimeni beCovid-19 bangayeki ukuyahlabisa lokuthontisela abantwana imithi yokubavikela emikhuhlaneni evame ukuhlasela abantwana abaphansikweminyaka emihlanu, emakilinika aseduze labo, njengenjayelo.
Isiphathamandla senhlanganiso ebona ngokuvikela abantwana kumikhuhlane ehlukeneyo iJohn Snow Research and Training Institute, uNkosikazi Adelaide Eleanor Shearley uchasisa imikhuhlane abayivikelayo besebenzelana lohulumende weZimbabwe.
“Inhlanganiso yethu incedisana logatsha lwezempilakahle kuhulumende weZimbabwe sihlaba abantwana amajekiseni lokubathontisela ukuze bevikeleke kumikhuhlane ehlukeneyo. Ebalisa ufuba-TB, amaketane- Tetanus, ukugogeka- iPolio Malaitis, Isihlabo- pneumonia, ukuvuvuka kwesibindi – Hepatitis B, isihudo.’
UNkosikazi Shearley wengeze echasisa ukuthi abantwana bavikelwa njani kule imikhuhlane.
''Yimikhuhlane ebamba abantwana bezalwa baze bafike iminyaka emihlanu. Abantwana laba sibanika amajekiseni okuvikela ufuba bezalwa baze bafike inyanga ezilitshumi lasithoba minwe mibili.’’
Uchasise njalo kabanzi ngohlelo olusungulwe nguhulumende lokuvikela abantwana abangamankazana kumkhuhlane wemvukuzane yesibeletho.
‘’Uhulumende useqale ukunika abantwana abangamantombazana ijekiseni yokuvikela igcikwane elibamba isibeletho elenza umkhuhlane wemvukuzane yomlomo wesibeletho. Inikezwa amantombazana akuGrade 5, lalabo abaleminyaka elitshumi.’’
Ngomkhuhlane wegcikwane leCovid-19, uNkosikazi Shearly ukhuthaze uzulu ukuba ahlanzeke ngoba akukabi lejekiseni yokuwuvikela.
“Lonyaka sizakuba lenkinga yokuba sesilomkhuhlane omutsha oweCovid-19 osuqede abantu umhlaba jikelele njalo awukabi lejekiseni yokuwuvikela ngoba ukuvikeleka kwakhona yikuhla ezindlini ukugeza izandla ukungabi lemibuthano uzakwenza ukuthi amajekiseni esiwapha abantwana abesesehla engehla imikhuhlane esasesiyiqedile izavela sizaqala ukubona abantwana bebulawa yindingindi, Ngakho siyalinxusa bazali ukuba lingayeki ukusa abantwana ukuba bayehlatshwa lamajekiseni okuvikela imikhuhlane.’’
UMqondisi wesibhedlela seMpilo Central Hospital, uDokotela Solwayo Ngwenya, laye ugcizelele ekuthini iCovid-19 ilakho ukuzaphazamisa uhlelo lokuhlabisa lokuthontisela abantwana.
“Umkhuhlane weCovid-19 mubi kakhulu eAfrica ngoba uzaphazamisa uhlelo lokuhlabisa lokuthontisela abantwana bevikelwa ukubamba imikhuhlane ehlukeneyo. Ngesikhathi seLockdown, omama bayehluleka ukuyahlabisa abantwana siyethema ukuba amalockdown azaphela abantwana bengakahlaselwa yiyonale imikhuhlane ehlasela abantwana abangahlabanga amajekiseni okuvikela imikhuhlane ethile.”
Ilunga lekhomithi yezempilakahle edale lephalamende, uNkosikazi Chelesile Mahlangu ukhuthaze omama ukuba bengayeki ukuyahlabisa, abantwana kanye lokubakalisa emakilinika wonke avuliwe ngalesi sikhathi sokulwisana leCovid 19.
“Njengoba siphakathi komkhuhlane weCovid 19 singalibali ukuyahlabisa, ukuthontisela lesikalini sicabanga ukuba konke kumile ngoba sikulockdown. Amakilinika wonke avuliwe lingalibali ukuyabahlabisa amajekiseni okubavikela ukubamba imikhuhlane, ukubathontisela lokubakalisa ngoba impilo yabantwana iqakathekile.’’
ldolobho lakoBulawayo lilamakilinika ekhansili angamatshumi amabili lanye wonke avuliwe ngesikhathi lesi selockdown.
Inhlanganiso yeWorld Health Organisation yethule imibiko ithi ikhathazekeli ngalesisikhathi umhlaba ubhekane lomkhuhlane weCovid-19 ngoba abantwana abenengi belakho ukwehluleka ukuthola amajekiseni okubavikela imikhuhlane ngoba amazwe amanengi ikakhulu eAfrica ebhekane lobunzima.