Ephreli 13, 2026 – Sekuphele iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu, i-insulin ilokhu iyisisekelo sokuphathwa kwesifo sikashukela, iguqula ukuxilongwa okuke kwaba yingozi kwaba yisimo esingamahlalakhona esilawulekayo. Le hormone, eyatholwa ngo-1921 nguFrederick Banting noCharles Best, isindise izigidi zabantu emhlabeni jikelele kusukela lapho.

I-insulini ikhiqizwa ngokwemvelo ngamaseli e-beta kuma-pancreas. Isebenza njengesihluthulelo, ivula amaseli ukuvumela i-glucose evela egazini ukuthi ingene futhi isetshenziselwe amandla. Kubantu abanesifo sikashukela sohlobo 1, amasosha omzimba ayawabhubhisa la maseli e-beta, okwenza umzimba ungakwazi ukukhiqiza i-insulini. Labo abanesifo sikashukela sohlobo 2 bangase bakhiqize i-insulini enganele noma bamelane nemiphumela yayo, okuholela emazingeni aphezulu kashukela egazini.

Ngaphandle kokwelashwa nge-insulin, abantu abanesifo sikashukela sohlobo 1 babhekene nezinkinga ezisongela ukuphila njenge-diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), lapho umzimba uphula khona amafutha ukuze uthole uphethiloli, ukhiqize ama-acid anobuthi abizwa ngokuthi ama-ketone. Ushukela ophezulu wegazi ongapheli ungaholela nasekuhlulekeni kwezinso, ubumpumputhe, ukulimala kwemizwa, kanye nesifo senhliziyo.

Iminyaka engama-20 edlule ibone izinto ezintsha eziphawulekayo ekulethweni kwe-insulin. Amapeni e-insulin ahlakaniphile manje axhumeka kuzinhlelo zokusebenza zeselula, alandelela imithamo futhi anikeza izikhumbuzo. Ama-continuous glucose monitors (ama-CGM) ahlinzeka ngokufundwa kweshukela egazini ngesikhathi sangempela, exwayisa abasebenzisi ngezingozi eziphakeme neziphansi. Izinhlelo ze-hybrid closed-loop, ezaziwa nangokuthi ubuchwepheshe be-pancreas bokwenziwa, zilungisa ngokuzenzakalelayo ukulethwa kwe-insulin ngokusekelwe kudatha ye-CGM, zinciphisa kakhulu umthwalo wengqondo wokwenza izinqumo njalo.

Kodwa-ke, ukuhlukana okukhulu emhlabeni wonke kuyaqhubeka. Nakuba ama-analog e-insulin amasha kanye namaphampu asezingeni eliphezulu ejwayelekile emazweni anemali engenayo ephezulu, amazwe amaningi anemali engenayo ephansi nephakathi asabhekene nobunzima bokufinyelela ngisho ne-insulin yabantu eyisisekelo kakhulu. Ngokusho kwe-World Health Organization, cishe ingxenye yabo bonke abantu abadinga i-insulin emhlabeni wonke abakwazi ukuyithola noma ukuyikhokhela. Izindleko eziphakeme—ikakhulukazi emazweni afana ne-United States—ziholele ekulinganisweni kwenani, nemiphumela edabukisayo.

Imizamo yokuvala leli gebe iyaqhubeka. Izinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo ezifana ne-Life for a Child kanye nabakhiqizi be-insulin bandisa izinhlelo zokunikela. I-insulin biosimilars ejwayelekile ingena emakethe, inikeza ezinye izindlela ezingabizi kakhulu.

Njengoba abacwaningi behlola ama-insulin asebenza isikhathi eside kakhulu, ukwakheka okuhlakaniphile okuphendula ushukela, kanye nokufakelwa kwamaseli e-beta ahlanganisiwe, ikusasa lithembisa. Kodwa ngaphandle kokufinyelela okulinganayo, isimangaliso se-insulin asisafinyeleleki kwabaningi kakhulu. Usuku Lwesifo Sikashukela Lomhlaba, olugujwa minyaka yonke ngoNovemba 14, luyaqhubeka nokuphoqelela “i-Insulin Yabo Bonke”—umgomo ophuthumayo namuhla njengoba wawunjalo eminyakeni eyi-105 edlule.

Thina baysen medical haveIkhithi yokuhlola i-insulin esheshayoukuze kutholakale isifo sikashukela kusenesikhathi. Siyakwamukela ekubuzeni!