USOLWAZI wase-Nyuvesi onamava okucwaningeni ngesifuba somoya, i-asthma ezinganeni, uthole umklomelo owuxhaso lwemali wokuthuthukisa umsebenzi wakhe.
USolwazi Refiloe Masekela, oyinhloko yophiko olubhekelele odokotela abelapha izingane nempilo yezingane eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) uthole umklomelo oyingqayizivele kaR45 million esikhungweni esikhuthaza ukuthi kucwaningwe ngezifo, iGlobal Research Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Ngale mali, uSolwazi Masekela uzobe ecwaninga ngezingane ezihaqwe isifuba somoya obekungagwemeka ukugula kwazo e-Afrika.
UMasekela ungumcwaningi wokuqala ozinze ezweni elintulayo noma eliphakathi nendawo ukuhlomula ngalolu xhaso, ubuye abe ngowesifazane wokuqala omnyama oseke waxhaswa ngoxhaso olunjengalolu.
"Isifuba somoya sihlasela ingane eyodwa kwezingu-10 emhlabeni futhi singesinye sezifo ezingathelelani esivame kakhulu ezinganeni nasentsheni. Ngeshwa, e-Afrika lesi sifo asinakwa okushiya iningi lezingane ezinaso zigula futhi zingalitholi usizo. Ukungatholakali ngokwanele kwezinsiza zokuhlola isifo sesifuba somoya nemishanguzo engabizi nesezingeni yokwelapha lesi sifo, kuvula igebe ekunakekelweni kwaso," kusho uSolwazi Masekela.
Le mali izosetshenziselwa ukuxhasa abafundela ubudokotela ekunakekeleni nasekwelapheni lesi sifo, ekucwaningweni ezomnotho ezithinta ezempilo, ukuthuthukiswa kwesikhungo sokugcinwa kolwazi ngokulashwa kwezifo zamaphaphu e-Afrika.
Uthe uzophinde enze ucwaningo oluzobe lubheka ukunakekelwa kwabanalesi sifo, ukwelashwa kwaso nezindlela ezingambi eqolo ezingasiza ukunciphisa ubungozi baso obungaholela ekushoneni kwezingane nakubantu abasha abaso eNingizimu Afrika.
"Inhloso yami enkulu ukuthi zonke izingane nabantu abasha abanesifo sesifuba somoya e-Afrika bafinyelele ngokulinganayo ekunakelelekweni okuyikho, okungambi eqolo.“ kusho yena.
UMasekela usebambe izikhundla ezehlukene zokuhola ezinhlanganweni zezifo zesifuba kuleli nasemazweni angaphandle, kubalwa ukuba yiphini likasihlalo we-Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS). Ungumqondisi wenhlangano yezifo zofuba eMelika, i-American Thoracic Society (ATS) Methods.
Uyilungu le-ATS Paediatric Global Health Group, wasungula uhlelo olwesekela abesifazane base-Afrika benza ucwaningo, i-African Women in Research Mentorship.
UMasekela uthe: “Njengowesifazane wokuqala omnyama wase-Afrika ukuthola lo mklomelo, ngizizwa ngithobekile futhi ngijabule. Ngihlabeke umxhwele ikakhulu ngoba lo mklomelo wosolwazi uhlanganisa noxhaso lweziqu zePhD ezinhlelwenzi zombili, ezokwelapha nezithinta umnotho wezempilo,”