THANDI ZONDI
ISIKHUNGO i-Africa Health Research Institute esizinze KwaZulu-Natal, sihlomule ngoxhaso oluzosiza iminyaka ewu-7. Lesi sikhungo sigxile ekucwaningeni ngezifo okubalwa kuzona i-HIV, i-TB nezifo eziqhamukayo njengokhuvethe nezifo ezinganakiwe kangako, njengesifo sesibindi nokhwantalala kubantu abasha. UMqondisi oMkhulu kwa-AHRI, uSolwazi Willem Hanekom, uthe lolu xhaso lutshengisa ukuthi bathenjwe kangakanani kwezocwaningo. “Sikholwa wukuthi ucwaningo lwethu olunzulu kubantu kuze kufinyelele kwezesayensi, nokusebenzisana okuhle nomphakathi nabacwaningi, kusibeke ethubeni elihle. Kanjalo nokubhekana ngqo nokuqonda ngezinselelo ezicindezela abantu abahlwempu emhlabeni wonke,” esho. Lo mnikelo iwuthole esikhungweni iWelcome Trust, ukuze baqhubeke nocwaningo kule minyaka eyisikhombisa elandelayo.
Phakathi kocwaningo abalwenzayo kubalwa olokuthi ingavikelwa kanjani iHIV emiphakathini yasemakhaya, kungavinjwa kanjani ukubhebhetheka kwe-TB nemigomo emisha yokuvikela isifo sofuba. Bazocwaninga nokuthi kungenzeka kanjani ukutheleleka okusha njengokhuvethe kubonwe ngokushesha, nokulashwa kokuphazamiseka komqondo kubantu abasha. Lolu xhaso luzophinde lweseke i-AHRI ekuqeqesheni izizukulwane ezilandelayo zososayensi e-Afrika. UCherly Moore weWelcome Trust, uthe bayaziqhenya ngokusebenzisana nesikhungo sakwa-AHRI ekuthuthukiseni ezempilo nezesayensi eNingizimu Afrika futhi basazoqhubeka naso.
tzondi@ilanganews.co.za
