By Anita Qubula
Isifo seSwekile sikwindawo yesibini ebangela ukufa okuninzi eMzantsi.
USekela Mphathiswa wezeMpilo uGqirha Joe Phaahla uthi nangona isifo seswekile sisekwindawo yesibini ebangela ukufa kwabantu abaninzi kweli lizwe, singoyena nobangela wokubhubha kwabantu basetyhini.
UPhaahla ebechaza ezinye zezicwangciso zikarhulumente zokuqobisana nomthwalo wobhubhane wezifo ezingasuleliyo (non-communicable diseases) (NCDs). Ethetha ePitoli, uthi ii-NCDs eziquka phakathi kwezinye izinto, isifo seswekile, uxinzelelo lwegazi kunye nomhlaza yingxaki yezempilo engxamisekileyo efuna ukuqwalaselwa ngokukhawuleza.
UPhaahla uthi ngo-2020, isifo seswekile sabalelwa ku-6.6% yabo bonke abantu ababhubhileyo, kulandela i-COVID-19, eyaba ngoyena nobangela wokusweleka.
Uthi, “Xa sijonga imiba ethile ngokwesini, sikwabona ukuba isifo seswekile ngoyena nobangela wokusweleka kwabantu ababhinqileyo kwi-8.2% benyukile, oko bekukwizibalo zika-2020 zonyuke ukusuka kwi-7.7% ngo-2018, isiba ngunobangela ophambili wokufa kwilizwe lethu.”