2007年VOA标准英语-WHO Appeals for Greater Commitment Against 'Neg

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
14 February 2007

The World Health Organization has called for a renewed commitment from governments around the world to combat tropical diseases that affect a third of the world's population and cause social and economic upheaval¹. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins has more from Jakarta.

Experts from the World Health Organization say that while diseases such as bird flu are drawing attention around the world, many tropical diseases pose a much greater threat to people in impoverished² nations, including Indonesia.

At a WHO meeting in Jakarta, experts reported that around two billion people living in tropical countries suffer needlessly from debilitating³ and disfiguring diseases such as leprosy. They say these diseases usually can be easily and cheaply treated.

The WHO Southeast Asian director of communicable diseases, Jai Narain, says there is little international focus on these diseases.

"Neglected tropical diseases are, as name indicates, neglected. Neglected by policy makers⁴, by research communities, and also by international community. But at the same time these diseases cause considerable amount of suffering, disability, disfigurement, and even social-economic impact, particularly for those populations which are already extremely marginalized from the society."

Many of these diseases, such as the potentially deadly visceral leishmaniasis, which is caused by a sandfly bite, effect the poorest of the poor. They are often more easily spread by inadequate⁵ sanitation⁶ and overcrowded living conditions.

David Molyneux is the executive secretary of the Global Alliance for Elimination⁷ of Lymphatic Filariasis - a disfiguring disease caused by mosquitoes that is commonly called elephantiasis. He says the cost of treating these diseases is negligible.

"And those interventions⁹ can be delivered in some cases just once a year at a cost, and I reference that cost because it is particularly important and it is proven across the world - at probably less than 10 cents per person treated per year," he said.

Molyneux says there has been great success at treating and eliminating these diseases since the World Health Organization and its partners first met in 2005 to address the issue, but more needs to be done.

"I believe that if we build in a system ... as part of the routine health services, then we will go somewhere, and very fast, because this is an intervention⁸ which is akin¹⁰ to vaccination¹¹. It is a human right to protect children from these conditions when it is so eminently¹² doable," he said.

The World Health Organization says it will use the Jakarta meeting to identify the next steps that need to be taken to eradicate¹³ these tropical diseases.

1 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

2 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 debilitating   

a.使衰弱的

参考例句：

• The debilitating disease made him too weak to work. 这个令他衰弱的病，使他弱到没有办法工作。
• You may soon leave one debilitating condition or relationship forever. 你即将永远地和这段霉运说拜拜了。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

6 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

7 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

8 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

9 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

10 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

11 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

12 eminently   

adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地

参考例句：

• She seems eminently suitable for the job. 她看来非常适合这个工作。
• It was an eminently respectable boarding school. 这是所非常好的寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。