Umntu ophumelele i-Junior Award: Ukuxhaphaka kweParkinson's eKenya | Congress 2026

Kwaye namhlanje, njengenxalenye yochungechunge lwe-MDS Congress 2026, siza kuthetha noGqr. Richard Morton, ongumfundisi-ntsapho nophando kwiNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust kunye nomfundi wePhD kwiYunivesithi yaseNewcastle. Uphumelele iMbasa yeJunior kwi-MDS Congress 2026 ngophando lwakhe malunga nokuxhaphaka kwesifo sikaParkinson kwiKilifi County, eKenya: uphando lweTransforming Parkinson's Care in Africa, okanye iTraPCAf.

Enkosi ngokujoyina nathi namhlanje, Dkt. Morton.

UDkt. Rich Morton: Enkosi kakhulu ngokundibona.

UGqr. Sara Schaefer: Kulungile. Ngoko ke ndifuna ukuqala ngokuthetha ngophando olubanzi, [00:01:00] uphando lweTraPCAf, okanye uphando lweTransforming Parkinson's Care in Africa. Luluphi olo phando, kwaye ungasixelela nje kancinci ngalo?

UGqr. Rich Morton: Ewe. Ngoko ke iTraPCAf luphando olusebenzisa iindlela ezininzi kunye namazwe amaninzi, kwaye eneneni liqela lophando lwezempilo olusebenzisanayo oluxhaswa yi-NIHR e-UK. Lubudlelwane phakathi kweYunivesithi yaseNewcastle kunye namazwe asixhenxe kulo lonke elaseAfrika, kuquka iJiphutha, i-Ethiopia, iGhana, iKenya, iNigeria, uMzantsi Afrika, kunye neTanzania.

Kwaye xa zizonke ezi ndawo zisebenza ngokusisiseko kwiprotokholi emiselweyo kwaye zilungelelanisa indlela yazo yokusebenza ukuze kubekho idatha efanayo kwiqela labantu abayi-1,000 abanesifo sikaParkinson kunye nabalawuli abangama-2,000 abaneminyaka yobudala kunye nesini. Kwaye abo baguli kunye nabalawuli baqeshwa ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo.

Kwiindawo ezininzi ezibandakanyekayo kolu phando, kukwakho nokufuna abantu abagulayo ngokusebenzisa iikliniki zangaphandle [00:02:00]. Kodwa kukwakho nezifundo ezine zokuxhaphaka kwabantu, kuba ukuxhaphaka kwabantu yenye yeepakethe zomsebenzi eziphambili ezenza inxalenye ephambili yeprojekthi yeTraPCAf, ngoko ke izifundo zokuxhaphaka kwabantu eLagos, eSogokope eGhana, kwiSithili saseHai eTanzania, naseKilifi eKenya, eyayiluphando endandisebenza kulo, lwenza ezo zifundo zine zokuxhaphaka kwabantu abagulayo ukuze kufunyanwe abantu abagulayo.

Olu phononongo beluyiprojekthi yeminyaka emine. Lwaqala ngo-2022 kwaye lusandula ukugqitywa ngo-Agasti '26. Ngoku sikwinqanaba apho siqokelela idatha eninzi, njengoko unokucinga, kuzo zonke ezi phakheji zomsebenzi ezahlukeneyo, kwaye sonwabile kakhulu ukuba sikwazi ukuqhubeka sijonge oko, kunye nemisebenzi eqhubekayo malunga nokubandakanyeka koluntu kunye nemisebenzi yokwazisa esiye sayenza kuzo zonke iindawo ezahlukeneyo kunye namazwe.

Ngoko ke ibe yimpumelelo enkulu kwaye ithathe inani elikhulu labantu ukuya kwezi ndawo zahlukeneyo. [00:03:00] Kwaye ewe, umsebenzi omninzi, kodwa ndicinga ukuba sikwazile ukubona impembelelo yokwenyani kubantu abaneParkinson's abasele bekho kula mazwe ahlukeneyo. Kwaye ndilangazelela ukubona ilifa eliqhubekayo nelihlala lihleli elinokuba nalo.

UGqr. Sara Schaefer: Njengoko utshilo, eyakho yenye yezifundo ezininzi zokuxhaphaka kwabantu, kuba ukukhawulela nje oko ukufundayo kubantu abafikelela kwinkqubo yezonyango kusenokungabonisi nto, akunjalo? Ngoko ke sixelele ngale nkqubo yokufunda esekelwe kuluntu esetyenziswa zezi zifundo zokuxhaphaka kwabantu kunye nesifundo sakho esisetyenzisiweyo, kunye nesizathu sokuba ucinga ukuba indlela yohlobo olusekelwe kuluntu ibalulekile, ingakumbi kwilizwekazi laseAfrika.

UDkt. Rich Morton: Ewe. Ngoko ke indlela esiyisebenzise ngayo iphefumlelwe luphando lukaGqr. Dotchin kwiSithili saseHai eTanzania ngo-2008, ongomnye wabaphandi abasebenzisana neTraPCAf. Kwaye isizathu soko kukuba ulwazi ngesifo sikaParkinson [00:04:00] luphantsi kakhulu, ingakumbi phakathi kwabantu abaninzi kuluntu kodwa naphakathi koogqirha abaninzi.

Kwaye ngelixa besisenza ezi zifundo, besisoloko senza imicimbi yemfundo kunye nemicimbi yokufundisa ngokuqhubekayo kwezonyango kubasebenzi kuzo zonke izibhedlele. Kubantu abaninzi kusenokwenzeka ukuba bebekhe beva ngesifo sikaParkinson okwethutyana kuqeqesho lwabo, kodwa oko bekungazange kube yinto ephambili kuba bekukho ingcamango yokuba isifo sikaParkinson asixhaphakanga kakhulu kulo lonke elaseAfrika.

Kwaye oku kudla ngokuvela kwizifundo zokuqala ngeminyaka yoo-1970 okanye ngaphezulu. Emva koko oko kwakha ingcamango eyaqhubeka ukusuka apho. Ngoko ke ndicinga ukuba enye yeengxaki kukuba uninzi lwezifundo ezikhoyo ngoku kwihlabathi liphela zinokwenziwa kusetyenziswa izifundo zophando ezisekelwe esibhedlele kunye nokujonga iirekhodi zonyango.

Kodwa umngeni okhoyo kukuba ukuba abantu abazi ukuba isifo sikaParkinson siyingxaki kwaye ngenxa yoko abanyanzelekanga ukuba bafune unyango ngenxa yeso sizathu, ingakumbi ukuba ziimpawu ezimbi zokucotha [00:05:00] okanye ukuziva beqinile, abantu abaninzi, kwanezinye zezigulana zam e-UK, bathi ezo mpawu zibangelwa kukwaluphala, kwaye akumangalisi ukuba abantu benza izinto ezifanayo kumazwe ase-Afrika asezantsi kweSahara esasisebenza nawo.

Kodwa umngeni owongezelelekileyo phezu koko kukufikelela kwiingcali, kwaye siyazi ukuba bambalwa kakhulu oogqirha bezifo zengqondo kumazwe amaninzi asezantsi kweSahara eAfrika. Kwaye iKenya, apho ndandisebenza khona, ngumzekelo waloo nto xa kuthelekiswa nonxweme, apho iKilifi ikhoyo, ingcali yezifo zengqondo ekufutshane yayiseMombasa, apho uninzi lwezigulane esasizibona kuphando lwethu lokuxhaphaka kwabantu zazikude ngeeyure ezimbini ezinesiqingatha ukuya kwezintathu.

Kwaye oko bekungafikeleleki ukuya apho. Kwakungafikeleleki ukufumana idinga. Ngoko ke zonke ezi zithintelo zithetha ukuba izifundo zokuxhaphaka kwabantu esibhedlele azikho kubantu abaninzi.

UDkt. Sara Schaefer: Ngoko ke masingene kancinci kwindlela yakho yokwenza izinto. Kubonakala ngathi xa ufunda isishwankathelo, oku kumele ukuba kwakulixesha elide kakhulu. Masingene kwiinkcukacha ze [00:06:00].

UDkt. Rich Morton: Saqala uphando lokuxhaphaka kweKilifi ngoMatshi/Aprili ngo-2024. Kwakukho inani elikhulu labachaphazelekayo ekwakufuneka sibabandakanye ngokweSebe lezeMpilo kunye neemvume ezininzi kunye nezinto ezazifuneka ukuze silungiselele.

Kodwa emva koko, esinye sezizathu zokuba sikhethe iKilifi kukuba iKenyan Medical Research Institute, eyaziwa ngokuba yiKEMRI, kunye neKEMRI-Wellcome partnership, zinenkqubo yokujonga uluntu esele imiselwe kakuhle eKilifi, abayisebenzisele uphando lwe-epidemiological, ngakumbi malunga nezifo ezosulelayo, ixesha elide.

Oko kwanika ithuba lokusebenzisa umsebenzi okhoyo ngokusebenzisana nabo kunokuba kufuneke simisele inkqubo yokujonga uluntu ukusuka kwinqanaba lokuqala, nto leyo, njengoko usitsho, yayiza kuba ngumsebenzi omkhulu. Nangona kunjalo, kwakukho umsebenzi omninzi obandakanyekileyo. Inkqubo yokujonga, i-KHDS njengoko iyaziwa, inabasebenzi basentsimini abangama-30 [00:07:00] esibaqeqeshe ngesifo sikaParkinson saza sasebenzisa isixhobo sokuhlola esasifuna ukusisebenzisa, esisixhobo sokuhlola izinto ezi-5, esaguqulwa kwisifundo sikaGqr. Dotchin ngo-2008. Ngoko ke oku kwabanceda bazi ukuba bafuna ntoni, kuba uninzi lwaba basebenzi basentsimini babengazange beve ngeParkinson's ngaphambili. Ngoko ke emva kolo qeqesho, sakwazi ukuqhuba ubalo lwabantu ngesixhobo sokuhlola esifakwe ngaphakathi, esathatha iinyanga ezininzi. Kwaye ecaleni koko, mna kunye neqela lophando, sakuba siqalile ukufumana abaphenduli abalungileyo, saphuma saya kuhlola abantu.

Ngoko ke besilungiselela izinto neeklinikhi zempilo zasekuhlaleni ukuze, ngaphakathi kwendawo, sikwazi ukubona abantu abakufutshane kunokuba sifune ukubona wonke umntu emakhayeni abo. Ngenxa yokuba sigqibele sifumene iimpendulo ezilungileyo ezingaphezu kwe-1,000, bekuya kuba nzima kakhulu ukwenza wonke umntu emakhayeni akhe.

Nangona sigqibele sibona inani elikhulu labantu [00:08:00] emakhaya kuba bebaninzi abantu abangazange bakwazi ukufika kumaziko ezempilo akufutshane. Ngoko ke ukusuka apho, sihlolisise abantu sisebenzisa uvavanyo lweklinikhi kunye neendlela ze-MDS zonyango zesifo sikaParkinson ukuze sichonge abantu abaneParkinson's.

Kwabo bantu besicinga ukuba abanaso isifo sikaParkinson, sizame konke okusemandleni ethu ukuza nolunye unyango. Ngamanye amaxesha oko kwakucaca ngakumbi kunamanye amaxesha. Ngamanye amaxesha abantu babenezifo ezaziwa, kodwa ngenxa yokunqongophala kophando nokubona abantu emyezweni wabo, kunokuba nzima kakhulu ukuza noluhlu olupheleleyo lokuxilongwa okwahlukileyo.

Eyona nto yayijoliswe kuyo yayikukufumanisa ukuba sikhona na isifo sikaParkinson. Emva koko abantu ababenesifo sikaParkinson banikwa ithuba lokungena kwisifundo seTraPCAf esikhuluma ngaso ngaphambili.

UDkt. Sara Schaefer: Ngoko ke uqale ngezigulane ezingama-81,662 ezahlolwa, wafikelela kwi-1,000 ezazifuna uhlolo lwezonyango ngokwalo [00:09:00] ngokungafaniyo nohlolo olungelulo olwezonyango, waze wagqibela ngoluhlu lwabantu abangaphi owabafumanisa benesifo sikaParkinson?

UGqr. Rich Morton: Ewe. Ngoko ke, emva koko sagqibela ngokufumana abantu abangama-25 abanesifo sikaParkinson. Kwakukho omnye umntu owayenesifo sikaParkinson kunye nomnye umntu owayenesifo sikaParkinson esibangelwa ziziyobisi, kuloo manani. Ngoko ke, inani elincinci labantu abane-Parkinson's, kwaye umphathi wam, uNjingalwazi uRichard Walker, uthe ngezifundo zakhe zangaphambili zokuxhaphaka kwiSithili saseHai ukuba ngamanye amaxesha ukuqhuba uphando lokuxhaphaka kwesifo sikaParkinson kukufuna inaliti kwindawo engaziyo ukuba yinaliti. Kwaye ndicinga ukuba ngandlela thile kukufanekisa okufanelekileyo kuba ukungazi ukuba abantu ngokuqinisekileyo banefuthe ekukwazini kwethu ukuchonga abantu kunye nokubandakanyeka kwabantu.

Siqhube imisitho emininzi yokwazisa uluntu [00:10:00] ukuzama ukwazisa ngesifo sikaParkinson kuzo zonke iilali esasisebenza nazo ngaphambi kokuba siqhube ubalo ukuze abantu bazi ukuba kutheni sibuza le mibuzo kwaye yintoni le ngxaki. Kodwa nangona kunjalo, kubhaliwe kakuhle ukuba kukho ukugxekwa okukhulu malunga nesifo sikaParkinson kwihlabathi liphela.

Kodwa kukho uphando oluninzi olwenziweyo kwi-Afrika esemazantsi eSahara, ingakumbi uphando olwenziwe eKilifi naseNairobi eKenya olugxininisa into yokuba ukugxeka kunye neenkolelo ngamanye amaxesha ezijikeleze isifo sikaParkinson yingxaki ethile.

UDkt. Sara Schaefer: Ndicinga ukuba kunomdla kakhulu ukuba kwabo bantu bangama-25 ubachongileyo, ama-84% abo basandula ukufunyanwa benesifo sikaParkinson ngolu phando, oluthetha ngento osandul’ ukuyithetha, ukuba inaliti ekwisixa seengca ayazi ukuba yinaliti, akunjalo?

UGqr. Rich Morton: Ndicinga ukuba yingongoma elungileyo leyo, kwaye ndicinga ukuba oko kuyawuchaphazela kakhulu lo phando, kuba ukuba besithembele kwindlela esetyenziswa esibhedlele, ngoko ama-84% abathathi-nxaxheba bethu ngebengakhange bachongwe [00:11:00]. Kwaye bekungengenxa yokungazami, ndicinga ukuba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo. Bekungengenxa yokuba aba baguli babenezi mpawu baze bathi, "Andazi ukuba yintoni le kwaye andizukuzama ukufumanisa."

Uninzi lwaba bantu lufune uncedo kwinkonzo yezempilo. Bacele uncedo kwiingcali zezempilo zesintu kunye namayeza esintu ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo kulo lonke eli candelo. Abantu babengazi ukuba kwenzeka ntoni, okanye bathi, "Owu, loo ngcangcazelo yingcinezelo yegazi; ungakhathazeki ngayo," okanye, "Sela la mayeza okunciphisa uxinzelelo lwegazi."

Ngoko ke loo nto yenza ingxaki yokwenyani, kwaye isenza sizibuze ukuba izifundo zokuxhaphaka kwezifo ezibhedlele ziza kunika ulwazi oluchanekileyo na kwiindawo ezinolwazi oluphantsi ngesifo sikaParkinson. Ngoko ke loo nto ibaluleke kakhulu kangangokuba sikwazile ukunxibelelana naba bantu, ukubadibanisa namaqela enkxaso asekuhlaleni, sichaze ukuba ababodwa, kuba uninzi lwaba bantu aluzange ludibane nomntu onesifo sikaParkinson ngaphambili.

Kwaye ndicinga ukuba ndiyazi, kuyafana nakwizigulane endandidibana nazo apho njengoko kunjalo nakwizigulane zam [00:12:00] e-UK, ukuba awukaze udibane nomntu onesifo sakho ngaphambili, kunokuba yinto eyahlula kakhulu. Kwaye impembelelo enokuba nayo amaqela enkxaso iyatshintsha.

UDkt. Sara Schaefer: Oko kundizisa kumbuzo othi, senzani ngolu lwazi, akunjalo? Njengoko besitshilo, olu yayiluvavanyo olukhulu lwabantu abangaphezu kwama-80,000, abasebenzi abaninzi. Ucinga ukuba ngamanye amaxesha olu hlobo lwento kufuneka lwenziwe ngokwezonyango ukuze kuchongwe aba bantu kwaye basiwe kunyango?

Okanye ngaba oku kwazisa nje oko kufuneka kwenziwe ngokwembono yemfundo? Ubona njani ukusebenzisa olu lwazi ukunika ulwazi ngophando lwexesha elizayo okanye ukunika ulwazi ngemfundo yexesha elizayo okanye ngeenkqubo zonyango?

UGqr. Rich Morton: Ndingavuma ukuba akubonakali ngathi kufanelekile ukuzama ukucebisa ukuba imisebenzi emikhulu yokuhlola esekwe kuluntu mayibe yenzelwa iinjongo zonyango kuphela. Ezi zixhobo zokuhlola azigqibelelanga. Zine [00:13:00] ecacileyo kakhulu kuba ngabom bazama ukuyila ukuba ibe novakalelo oluphezulu, kwaye ngenxa yoko, sagqibela ngokufuna ukuhlola abantu abangaphezu kwama-950 ababengenaso isifo sikaParkinson ukuze sifumane abangama-25 ababenaso.

Ndicinga ukuba kunzima kakhulu ukuthethelela ukuba oko kufanele kusetyenziswe kwizonyango. Ndicinga ukuba njengesixhobo sophando sokubonisa ukuba ingxaki ikhona, kwaye ingxaki ayithathelwa ngqalelo, kwaye kukho abantu abanesifo sikaParkinson abangaziwa kangako, ndicinga ukuba ibaluleke kakhulu, kwaye ndicinga ukuba igxininisa kakhulu loo msantsa kunyango lokuxilonga.

Ngenxa yoko, ndicinga ukuba oko kunika iqonga lokulwela aba bantu kunye nokunceda ngokwenene ukuphakamisa ulwazi malunga nalo mba ukuzama ukweyisela abenzi bomgaqo-nkqubo ukuba mhlawumbi kufanele kubekwe phambili ngakumbi kwisifo sikaParkinson kwezinye zezi ndawo. Lonke ilizwe lisayine iSicwangciso seNtshukumo seHlabathi esiPhakathi se-Epilepsy kunye nezinye iingxaki ze-neurological, esilinyathelo le-WHO [00:14:00], ngo-2022.

Kwaye inxalenye ephambili yoko kukwandisa ukubaluleka kwabenzi bomgaqo-nkqubo weengxaki zemithambo-luvo kuba zihlala zijongelwa phantsi, ingakumbi kumazwe anengeniso ephantsi nephakathi. Oku kungqina loo ngongoma kwaye kuyikhokelela ekuhleni loo nto. Kwaye ndicinga ukuba ukusukela apho, yimeko yemfundo eyongezelelekileyo, zombini imfundo yezonyango kunye nemfundo yoluntu, njengesixhobo, njengenxalenye yamanyathelo okukhulisa ulwazi ngokubanzi.

UDkt. Sara Schaefer: Enkosi ngokwabelana nathi konke oku namhlanje kwaye ndiyakuhalalisela.

UDkt. Rich Morton: Enkosi kakhulu. [00:15:00]