Samke Dladla
11 November 2026
Mhla zingu-14 kuNovemba, umhlaba ugubha Usuku Lwesifo Sikashukela Emhlabeni. Unyaka wesithathu ilandelana, ingqikithi yomhlaba yiSifo Sikashukela Nenhlalakahle. Lokhu kuvuma ngamabomu into impilo yaseNingizimu Afrika ibambezele ukuyihlanganisa ngokugcwele, okuyisisindo sengqondo sokuphila nesifo esihlala isikhathi eside, esidinga ukunakekelwa njalo impilo yonke.
ENingizimu Afrika kunobhubhane wesifo sikashukela. Abantu abadala abacishe babe yizigidi ezingu-4,3 baphila nalesi sifo manje. Ngokwe-Statistics South Africa, sisaphakathi kwezimbangela eziyinhloko zokufa kuleli zwe, futhi izinombolo ziyaqhubeka nokukhuphuka. Abantu abaningi bahlonza isifo kuphela uma izinkinga ezinzima sezivele zabamba kakhulu, njengesifo senhliziyo, ukuhluleka kwezinso, ukunqunywa ingxenye yomzimba noma ukulahlekelwa ukubona. Lezi zinkinga nazo zithwala isisindo sazo semizwa ngaphezu kokulimala komzimba.
Okuvame ukungakhulunywa ngakho yilokho impilo yansuku zonke nesifo sikashukela ekudingayo engqondweni yomuntu. Ukulawula lesi sifo kudinga ukuhlala uqaphile: ukuhlola ushukela egazini, ukuhlela isikhathi sokudla, ukuzijova i-insulin, nokubheka izimpawu zokuxwayisa. Konke lokhu kwenziwa kuyilapho uphinde ubhekane nezidingo zansuku zonke ekhaya, esikoleni noma emsebenzini. UDkt Patrick Ngassa Piotie noDkt Sonja Mostert eSikhungweni Socwaningo Lwesifo Sikashukela saseNyuvesi yasePitoli bachaze lokhu njengomthwalo omkhulu wengqondo. Ungenza abantu abaphila nesifo sikashukela babonakale behlelekile futhi beqinile ngaphandle, kodwa ngaphakathi bezwa ukukhathala, ukukhathazeka nokuphelelwa amandla (burnout).
Ucwaningo luyakuqinisekisa lokhu ngokusobala. Abantu abanesifo sikashukela baphindwe kabili kuya kathathu ukuba nokucindezeleka (depression) kunalabo abangenaso. Inhlolovo yakamuva yeNhlangano Yamazwe Ngamazwe Yesifo Sikashukela (International Diabetes Federation) yathola ukuthi amaphesenti angu-84 abantu baseNingizimu Afrika abaphila nesifo sikashukela bathi bahlangabezane nokukhathazeka, ukucindezeleka noma ezinye izinkinga zempilo yengqondo ezixhumene ngqo nokugula kwabo. Okukhombisa kakhulu, cishe amaphesenti angu-85 abaphendulile bathi bafuna usizo lwempilo yengqondo oluningi kunalolo abalutholayo. Lokhu kuyisibonakaliso esicacile sesidingo esingahlangatshezwanga kubantu abaphila nalesi simo imihla ngemihla.
Naphezu kwalobu bufakazi, ukuhlolwa kwempilo yengqondo njalo akuvamile ekunakekelweni kwesifo sikashukela eNingizimu Afrika. UNgassa Piotie noMostert baveze ukuthi abasebenzi bezempilo bavame ukungaqeqeshelwa ukubona nokubhekana nalezi zinkinga zengqondo, noma zivele ngokusobala. Lokhu kusho ukuthi iziguli eziningi zibhekana nosizi olukhulu zodwa, ngaphezu kokulawula isimo somzimba. Ohlelweni lwezempilo lapho ukufinyelela ezinsizeni zempilo yengqondo sekuvele kulinganiselwe, lokhu kwenza isimo sibe nzima kakhulu kubantu abanezifo ezimbili kodwa abathola usizo lwesisodwa kuphela.
Lesi sikhala asikaze singanakwa ngokuphelele. Isikhungo Socwaningo Lwesifo Sikashukela saseNyuvesi yasePitoli sakhe iqembu locwaningo lempilo yengqondo nenhlalakahle. Siphethe ama-webinar ngokubambisana ne-Health Psychology Division ye-Psychological Society of South Africa, futhi saqala ucwaningo lukazwelonke olubheka usizi lwengqondo nokufinyelela osizweni lwempilo yengqondo phakathi kwabaseNingizimu Afrika abanesifo sikashukela uhlobo 1, uhlobo 2 nesikashukela sokukhulelwa. Ekhuluma ngokuphuthuma kwalo msebenzi, uNgassa Piotie ukhulume ngokuqondile: kudingeka isenzo esiphuthumayo ukubhekana nenkinga yesifo sikashukela eNingizimu Afrika. Lesi sicelo sihlanganisa nohlangothi lwayo lwengqondo kanye nolomzimba.
Ushintsho lwangempela lungabukeka kanjani? Lungasho izikhungo zesifo sikashukela ezihlola ukucindezeleka nokukhathazeka njengoba zihlola amazinga kashukela egazini. Lungasho ukuqeqesha odokotela abajwayelekile (ama-GP) nabahlengikazi besifo sikashukela, abavame ukuba yilabo iziguli ezihlangana nabo kakhulu, ukuze bakwazi ukubona ukukhathala kwemizwa futhi bathumele iziguli lapho kufanele, bangathathi usizi njengenkinga ehlukile engahlobene. Futhi iziguli zinikezwa imvume ecacile yokuqamba igama lokukhathala nokukhathazeka okuvame ukuhambisana nokuphatha ukugula okungapheli, zingazizwa ziphoqelekile ukukuthwala ngokuthula.
Kulo Usuku Lwesifo Sikashukela Emhlabeni, isicelo sabacwaningi nodokotela siyafana: ukwelapha isifo sikashukela kahle kusho ukwelapha umuntu wonke, hhayi nje inombolo kashukela. KwabaseNingizimu Afrika abayizigidi abaphila nesifo sikashukela, inhlalakahle ayizange ibe yinto ehlukile empilweni yabo yomzimba. Ibilokhu iyingxenye yesimo esifanayo, futhi sekudlule isikhathi eside ukuthi uhlelo lwezempilo lwaseNingizimu Afrika lukubheke ngaleyo ndlela.
