LUZOGXILA ezindaweni zasemakhaya ucwaningo oluzobe lubheka ukuzishintsha kwegciwane lesandulela ngculazi, ngemuva kokuhlasela kweCovid-19 ezweni.
Lokhu kushiwo nguSolwazi Frank Tanser waseStellenbosch University, ongusosayensi ozobe ehola ucwaningo oluzobe lwenziwa yile nyuvesi ngokubambisana neNyuvesi yaKwaZulu Natal, i-Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), i-University of Lincoln, i-University of Heidelberg, i-University of Washington, iNew York University ne- University of Cincinnati.
Uthe ulwazi oluzosetshenziswa woluke lwenziwa yi-AHRI ngaleli gciwane ezindaweni zasemakhaya enyakatho yeKwaZulu-Natal.
Lolu cwaningo lusanda kunikwa imali enguR40 million esikhungweni i-US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
UTanser uthe lolu olwaziwa ngeThe Changing Face of HIV in the era of Covid-19, luzosiza ekutheni luveze isithombe esiyiso ngaleli gciwane ngoba libakhahlameza kakhulu abantu abahluphekayo.
"Imizamo yokwehlisa ukutheleleka kwabantu ngaleli gciwane nokwelashwa kwalo eyenziwayo ayikafinyeleli esigabeni okumele ukuthi iba kuso, ukuze linqandeke. Njengamanje sibhekene nokuthi amantombazane amancane yiwona atheleleka kakhulu ngaleli gciwane.
Esikubonayo manje sekuyashintsha, sesiyanda nesibalo sabesifazane asebevuthiwe abatheleleka ngaleli gciwane," kusho yena.
Uthe iNingizimu Afrika inesibalo esiphezulu sabantu abahaqwe yiHIV kunawo wonke amazwe emhlabeni, ngakho ucwaningo olunjengalolu lubalulekile.
"Esikwaziyo wukuthi imishanguzo yokuthithibalisa iHIV isiza ekutheni bangabi baningi abantu abashonayo bebulawa yilesi sifo. Uma beqhubeka banda abantu abahaqekayo kuzogcina kufika esigabeni lapho izwe lingasakwazi ukuthengela bonke abahaqekile imishanguzo," kusho yena.
Uthe ucwaningo oluzothatha iminyaka emihlanu, luzobe lubheka ukuthi ukuhlasela kweCovid-19 kuleli kwenze ukuthi leli gciwane liziphathe kanjani kukho okuhlanganisa nokusabalala kwalo nendlela eliziphatha ngayo egazini nokunye.
Uthe imiphumela yalo izosetshenziselwa ukuqhamuka namasu amasha okwelapha nokuvikela igciwane, okubalwa ukukhuthazwa kwabantu ukuthi basebenzise imishanguzo yokuzivikela kulo, iPre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep).
IPhini leSekela-Shansela neNhloko yekolishi lesayensi ethinta ezempilo e-UKZN, uSolwazi Busisiwe Ncama, lithe: "Ngithanda ukuhalalisela ithimba labacwaningi nenhloko yabo ngokuthola uxhaso lweNIH.
Lo msebenzi ubaluleke kakhulu ekusizeni izwe ukuthi liqonde ukuziphathe kweHIV ngemuva kweCOVID-19, ukuze kulungiselwe isikhathi esizayo ezifweni ezithathelanayo."