Everson Luhanga
I-Malawi ithole ukuthelelana kwayo kokuqala kovendle eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-30, okwenze ukuthi kube nomkhankaso omkhulu wokugoma izingane ezincane emazweni amahlanu aseNingizimu ye-Afrika.
Izingane eziningi ezineminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu ubudala zizogonywa e-Malawi, e-Zambia, e-Zimbabwe, e-Tanzania kanye nase-Mozambique.
Izingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu e-Lilongwe, inhlokodolobha yase-Malawi, ziqale ukugonywa ngeSonto njengoba kuqhubeka umkhankaso wokulwa nalesi sifo.
Uvendle isifo esibulalayo esiyingozi esasivame ukuvela e-Afrika yonkana nasemhlabeni wonke. Otheleleke ngaso uba nenkinga emgogodlweni, futhi simenza akhubazeke.
Kwamenyezelwa ukuthi i-Afrika ayinalo uvendle ngoNcwaba wango-2020 ngemuva kokuqeda zonke izinhlobo zaleli gciwane esifundeni. E-Malawi, kwabikwa ukutheleleka kokugcina okwaqinisekiswa umtholampilo i-wild poliovirus (i-WPV) ngo-1992.
UDkt Mudula Tembo, osebenza kwesinye sezibhedlela ezinkulu zase-Malawi, ukuqinisekisile ukuthi uNgqongqoshe wezeMpilo usenqume ukugoma zonke izingane ezineminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu.
Uthe umnyango usamukele isinqumo se-World Health Organisation (WHO) sokwethula umkhankaso omkhulu wokugoma.
“Lolu wuhlelo lukazwelonke uMnyango wezeMpilo olwamukele ngaphansi kohlelo olubizwa nge-Expanded Immunization Programme (i-EIP).”
Uthe ongoti bezempilo bahlonyiswe ngemithi abazoyisebenzisa kuzo zonke izingane ezineminyaka engaphansi kwemihlanu.
UNgqongqoshe wezeMpilo e-Malawi uKhumbize Kandodo Chiponda uthe uhulumeni usesungule amakomidi ezimo eziphuthumayo ezingeni likazwelonke nelesifunda ukuze aqaphe lokhu kutheleleka futhi ahlole ubungozi bokusabalala kwegciwane.
Khonamanjalo, uDkt Matshidiso Moeti, umqondisi wesifunda sase-Afrika kwi-WHO, uthe “Ngokweseka i-Malawi nomakhelwane bayo, sithatha isinyathelo ngokushesha ukunqanda lokhu kuqubuka nokuqeda usongo ngokugoma ngempumelelo.
“Isifunda sase-Afrika sesilinqobile igciwane lovendle ngenxa yomzamo omkhulu owenziwa ngamazwe. Sinolwazi futhi sisebenza ngokungakhathali ukuze siqinisekise ukuthi yonke ingane iyaphila futhi iphile kahle ezwenikazi elingenalo uvendle.”
Khonamanjalo, uDkt Randy Mungwira, isekela lomphathi we-WHO ophendula ngovendle e-Malawi, utshele i-Guardian ukuthi ithimba lakhe “belihlele ngokucophelela” ukuthintana nazo zonke izingane ezweni.
Uthe ukubheduka kwalesi sifo muva nje kuyingozi emizamweni yangaphambilini yokuqeda lesi sifo.
“Sifuna ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi izingane zethu ziyavikeleka kulokhu,” kusho uDkt Mungwira.
.
