2007年VOA标准英语-Iraqi Medical Crisis Highlighted in Internation

By Melinda Smith
Washington
02 May 2007
 

civilians2 in Iraq, during a press conference in Geneva, 11 Apr 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070604/0906470.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, speaks about the situation of civilians in Iraq, during a press conference in Geneva, 11 Apr 2007

The International Committee of the Red Cross recently issued an alarming assessment³ of the medical conditions in Iraq.  It described the situation as a crisis, with sick and injured Iraqis waiting for treatment in understaffed health care facilities. Others are too afraid to seek help because many doctors and hospitals have become targets of the insurgents⁴.  VOA's Melinda Smith has more on the Red Cross report.

Patients are lined up for medical care at a hospital in the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City.  Once inside, they will likely experience more delays if they see a doctor at all. 

According to the Red Cross report, conditions are getting worse. 

The International Committee Of The Red Cross (ICRC) says civilian¹ casualties from day to day violence put enormous pressure on the available medical resources in Iraq.  There is a severe shortage of doctors and nurses and limited supplies of medicine.

Red Cross spokeswoman Nada Doumani says one reason the health system in Iraq is breaking down is because doctors and patients fear for their own safety.

"Some patients wouldn't dare to go there.  The problem that we face today in Iraq is not simply a political or a military or a geo-strategic problem.  It is mainly a humanitarian⁵ issue."

It has been hard to estimate the numbers of those who die before getting treatment, compared to those who are treated.  But in 2006, the International Red Cross says it delivered medical supplies to treat at least 3,000 people with war-related wounds. The ICRC also reported that 67 primary health care centers across Iraq treated an average of 9,000 patients a day.

One major obstacle in treatment has been a shortage of medicine.   Hospital pharmacist Ahmed Hameed says there just are not enough supplies to go around. "The terrorist acts and criminal explosions in markets and public places lead to so many injuries, a matter that will increase demand and put pressure on hospitals.  And consequently, this will lead to sharp shortage[s] in medicine and medical appliances."

Yet some medical supplies are readily available on the streets of Baghdad for the right price and a willingness to overlook the source of their manufacture. 

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。