2007年VOA标准英语-WHO Chief Warns Bird Flu Threat Has Not Gone Aw

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
04 January 2007

The new director-general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, warns the threat of an influenza¹ pandemic has not receded². She urges countries around the world to prepare for a pandemic that has the potential to kill millions. From WHO headquarters in Geneva, Lisa Schlein reports on Dr. Chan's first news conference.

Margaret Chan, 4 Jan 2007

Prior to her appointment as WHO director-general, Margaret Chan headed the organization's avian-flu pandemic program. She has been involved with efforts to combat the disease since 1997, when she headed Hong Kong's public health program.

Chan says the H5-N1 bird flu virus has caused unprecedented³ damage to the poultry⁴ sector⁵ since its appearance a few years ago and it has killed more than half of the people that have become infected.

She believes the available evidence indicates the world is due for another pandemic soon.

"We owe it to the community we are serving to keep our watch, to be vigilant⁶, on the watch out for early signs of a pandemic. The risk is there," she said. "We should not let our guard down.  We are very concerned of the likelihood of a pandemic and particularly its impact in weak, in countries with weak, health systems and in countries in Africa where they have many people already affected⁷ by HIV/AIDS and other diseases."

Chan says 170 countries have pandemic preparedness plans, an increase from 50 in 1997.

She says implementation⁸ of revised international health regulations in June will help countries respond more effectively to bird flu outbreaks.

Director-General Chan cites the improvement of the health of women and the people of Africa as one of her main priorities. She says the World Health Organization has numerous programs dealing⁹ with these issues and she intends to make them better.

"We have a cluster called FCH-Family and Child Health - dealing with maternal¹⁰ health issues, child health issues and women's issues," noted¹¹ Chan. "So, if that cluster as a group performed better and got synergy from the various programs, we are making improvements in the health of women and also in the health of Africa."

If a program is not working, Chan says something new must be tried. For example, she says her predecessor¹², Jong-wook Lee, realized that the "Roll Back Malaria¹³" program was not winning the battle against malaria. So he introduced a new global malaria program, which, she says, she intends to follow.

"Three-thousand children die on a daily basis because of malaria," said Chan. "This is not acceptable. So, that is why we have a program which is very aggressive and very tough."

Chan says WHO must be prepared to change course when programs are not working. Otherwise, it will not remain relevant and will be left behind.

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 receded   

v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。
• The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 maternal   

adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的

参考例句：

• He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。
• The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

13 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。