DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Indonesia Sets National Days to Protect

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Indonesia Sets National Days to Protect Children From Polio
By Karen Leggett

Broadcast: Monday, August 22, 2005

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Development Report.

Most of the world has stopped the spread of the polio virus. But the disease is now increasing in some places. The World Health Organization says it may not be able to meet its goal to end polio in two thousand five.

The W.H.O. says more than one thousand children have been infected this year. That is more than two times the number as compared to the same period in two thousand four.

Polio began to spread in two thousand three when immunization campaigns were stopped for a year in northern Nigeria. As a result, the virus returned to a number of African countries that were free of polio. There are several hundred new cases in Yemen.

The virus has also spread to parts of Indonesia. Health officials say they are concerned that polio could reach China, Malaysia or the Philippines.

Children under age three suffer more than half of all cases of polio. The virus is spread through water and human waste. The virus enters the mouth and invades the nervous system. The W.H.O. says most people who are infected never show signs of polio. But they can spread the virus for several weeks.

The W.H.O. says one out of two hundred infections leads to paralysis¹ that never goes away. Usually the victims lose the ability to move their legs. Some lose control of their breathing muscles and die.

People who recover from polio can suffer additional muscle weakness and other disorders² years later. Doctors call it post-polio syndrome³.

There are no cures for polio, but it can be prevented. Indonesia has plans for national immunization campaigns on August thirtieth and September twenty-seventh. The goal is to vaccinate⁴ more than twenty-four million children under age five.

Health workers say it is important to vaccinate all children in a community. The World Health Organization says the polio vaccine⁵ is safe even if a child is sick and has a high body temperature.

National immunization days have been highly effective in India. In nineteen ninety-six, India had seventy-five thousand new cases of polio. Last year, health officials reported just one hundred thirty-six.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Karen Leggett.  Internet users can also learn more about the campaign against polio at, one word, polioeradication.org. We will have a link on our site. I'm Steve Ember.

1 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

2 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

4 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。