The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says a nightmare scenario is unfolding in Zimbabwe as the number of cholera deaths and cases continues to mount. The Red Cross says it is hit with a severe funding crisis and this is hampering its ability to contain the deadly disease.
国际红十字会与红新月会联合会说，津巴布韦霍乱疫情造成的死亡和患病人数还在增加，那里正在出现恶梦一样的惨状。红十字会说，严重的资金危机正在削弱红十字会控制这场疫情的能力。
Senior health officer for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Tammam Aloudat, has recently returned from Zimbabwe. He says the cholera outbreak in the country is increasing in scale and it is claiming more lives.
国际红十字会与红新月会联合会的高级医疗官员阿洛达最近刚刚从津巴布韦返回。他说，津巴布韦霍乱疫情的规模正在扩大，死亡人数也在增加。
"The scenario that was described a few weeks ago and was told to be an excessive nightmare scenario is happening," said Aloudat. "It is unraveling in front of our eyes. We have close to 50,000 cases and close to 3,000 deaths already."
他说：“几个星期前，有人告诉我们那里的情况就像可怕的恶梦，这种惨状目前正在发生，就在我们的眼前出现。已经有近5万人得了霍乱，近3000人死亡。”
Several weeks ago, humanitarian agencies were warning that Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic could peak at 60,000. They called this a nightmare scenario and said all measures must be taken to contain the disease.
几个星期前，一些人道主义机构警告说，津巴布韦的霍乱疫情可能导致6万人患病。它们把这种情况称为恶梦，并说必须采取一切行动控制霍乱。
Aloudat says the Red Cross and other aid agencies have the expertise and the will to control a disease that, under more normal circumstances, can be fairly easily contained and prevented.
阿洛达说，红十字会和其它组织有控制疫情的专业知识和意愿。在比较正常的条件下，霍乱是一种相对容易控制和预防的疾病。
"Today as we speak, the Red Cross is providing treatment, providing sanitation, water and providing volunteers who are going to their communities to educate them and providing personal hygiene materials," said Aloudat. "This is what has the potential to avert a cholera outbreak. We can definitely contain this outbreak given the resources. We are not anymore in the 19th century."
他说：“就在此刻，红十字会正在提供治疗、卫生设备、水和志愿者。这些志愿者进入他们所在的社区，教人们如何防病，发放个人卫生用品。这些工作本来有可能防止霍乱发生。如果有人力物力，我们一定可以控制疫情。毕竟我们不是生活在19世纪了。”
But, that is the problem. The Red Cross is not being given the resources, the money it needs to carry out its life-saving mission. The agency appealed for over $9 million at the end of last year. Aloudat says this appeal is about 60 percent under-funded.
不过，问题正在于红十字会并没有得到这些治病救人所需的资源和资金。红十字会曾在去年底呼吁得到900多万美元的资助。但阿洛达说，红十字会最终只得到大约40%的资金。
"The lack of funding is probably a mixture of several aspects and most important, we have seen the funding drop when Zimbabwe dropped off the TV screens. It is not about the politics or persons here. It is about the ability to reach people who are now dying of cholera and need assistance now. I think linking the humanitarian assistance to cholera to politics is not a good idea."
他说：“缺乏资金可能是多种因素造成的，其中最重要的是，当津巴布韦不再出现在电视新闻中时，我们得到的资助就减少了。我们谈论的不是津巴布韦的政治或领导人，而是为那些即将被霍乱夺走生命的人提供帮助的能力，这些人现在就需要救助。我认为，把对霍乱疫情的人道主义援助同津巴布韦的政治联系起来是不明智的。”
Aloudat says Zimbabwe's health system is completely shattered. He says health professionals are not going to work because they are hungry and they are not being paid. He says one of the most important things that must be done to control the epidemic is to top off the salaries of doctors and nurses so they report for work.
阿洛达说，津巴布韦的医疗系统已经完全崩溃。他说，医疗工作者由于饥饿和得不到工资而不去上班。他说，为了控制疫情，最重要的是必须补发医生和护士的薪水，以便让他们回去上班。 |