KwaZulu-Natal, eNingizimu Africa (4 September 2023) – i-Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) iyakuthokozela ukumemezela uxhaso lwesigidi kanye nezigidi eziyisithupha zamarandia – R1.6 billion – okungaphezulu kwamadola aseMelika ayizigidi ezingamashumi ayishayagalombili nanhlanu (USD$85m) evela ku-Wellcome Trust.
Uxhaso lweminyaka eyisikhombisa luzokweseka ucwaningo luka-AHRI oluwumhlahlandlela kwezesayensi oluya ekufezeni umbono ka-AHRI, okuyimpilo enhle kanye nenhlalakahle yabantu abangenazo izinsiza zezempilo.
Endaweni eKwaZulu-Natal eyisizinda sesandulelangculaza nesifo sofuba (HIV/TB) emhlabeni wonke, ucwaningo lwaka-AHRI lugxile ekuqondeni nasekubhekaneni nezifo eziyimbangela enkulu yokugula nokufa eNingizimu Afrika. Lokhu kubandakanya isandulelangculazi (HIV) ,isifo sofuba (TB), izifo eziqhamukayo, njenge Covid-19 kanye nezifo ezinganakiwe, njengesifo sesibindi (Hep B), nempilo yengqondo kubantu abasha.
Uxhaso lwe-Wellcome Trust oluyisigidgidii kanye nezigidi eziyisithupha zamarandi (R1.6 billion) luzokwenza u-AHRI andise ucwaningo lwakhe eminyakeni eyisikhombisa ezayo ukuze aphendule imibuzo ebalulekile, okuhlanganisa:
- Singavinjelwa kanjani isandulelangculazi (HIV) emiphakathini yasemakhaya?
- Singelapheka kanjani isandulelangculazi (HIV)?
- Kungavinjelwa kanjani ukusabalala kwesifo sofuba emiphakathini yasemakhaya?
- Ingabe imigomo emisha iyasivikela isifo sofuba?
- Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi ukutheleleka okusha njenge Covid-19 kubonwe ngokushesha (kuseyisikhathi) futhi kulawuleke?
- Kungalashwa kanjani kangcono ukuphazamiseka kwempilo yengqondo kwabantu abasha basemakhaya?
Uxhaso luzophinde luseke u-AHRI emsebenzini wakhe wokuqeqesha isizukulwane esilandelayo zososayensi baseAfrika.
U-AHRI usesimweni esikhethekile sokuphendula kulezizinselele zezempilo eziphuthumayo. Amalungu angongcweti angu-28 aqhuba ucwaningo lobuchwepheshe banamuhla emikhakheni ehlukene. U-AHRI usingethe uhlelo oluhamba phambili lwezempilo lokubalwa nokulandelela izimpilo zabantu emhlabeni wonke endaweni yocwaningo esemakhaya enyakatho yakwaZulu-Natal, futhi amalabhorethri akhe angamanye asezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu e-Afrika. Uphiko lwezivivinyo zemitholampilo elizinikele lalesisikhungo lihlola imigomo emisha nezidakamizwa, kuyilapho izivivinyo zokuqalisa zisetshenziselwa ukuthola izindlela ezingcono kakhulu zokuletha ushintsho lwezempilo kubantu. Ucwaningo luka- AHRI luhambisana nokuxhumana okuhle kakhulu nomphakathi kanye nokusebenzisana okubanzi ngaphakathi futhi namazwe ngamazwe.
USolwazi u-Willem Hanekom, umqondisi omkhulu wakwa-AHRI uthe “loluxhaso lukhombisa ukuthenjwa kwethu emandleni esinawo okukhiqiza ucwaningo lwesayensi oluhle kakhulu, olunomthelela obonakalayo. Sikholelwa ukuthi uchungechunge lwethu olubanzi locwaningo, kusukela kubantu kuye kweyesayensi eyisisekelo, futhi nokusebenzisana okuqinile nemiphakathi kanye nabanye abacwaningi kusibeka esimweni esiyingqayizivele sokubhekana nezinselele zezempilo ezicindezela kakhulu abantu abangenazo izinsiza emhlabeni wonke”
U-Cherly Moore, oyisikhulu sezinhlelo zocwaningo kwa-Wellcome Trust, uthe “u-AHRI usesimweni esihle kakhulu sokuhola ucwaningo olusezingeni lomhlaba ezinsongweni okunesikhathi eside zikhona njengesifo sofuba nesandulelangculazi kanye nokuqhubekisela phambili ucwaningo lubelusha, futhi olubalulekile , nezinselelele ezifana ne Covid-19 nempilo yengqondo yentsha. U-AHRI uhlanganisa ubuchwepheshe besayensi emikhakheni eyahlukahlukene yocwaningo, ehambisana nokuxhumanisa okuqinile nemiphakathi yendawo. U-Wellcome uyaziqhenya ngokuqhubeka nokusebenzisana no–AHRI ekusekeleni isayensi evelele eholwa yiAfrika, esebenzela ukuthuthukisa imiphumela yezempilo emiphakathini yaseNingizimu Afrika neAfrica yonkana.”
U-Professor Mark Emberton, u-Dean, we UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences, uthe “u-AHRI ungumlingani obalulekile we UCL e-Afrika. Ukuzibophezela kwethu okwabiwe ekwenzeni okuhle kuvumela ukushintshana kwezemfundo okuqinile futhi kuvula izindlela ezintsha zokuhumusha ucwaningo lube amathuluzi nemithi yokwelapha ukuze kuzuze impilo yabantu abangenazo izinsiza. Uxhaso lwe-Wellcome Trust lweminyaka eyisikhombisa ezayo lwengeza isiqaliso sesahluko esisha esizoqinisekisa ukusimama nenqubekela phambili ohambweni lwethu.”
