2007年VOA标准英语-Health Workers Worried about AIDS in Chad's Ref

By Phuong Tran
Gaga, Chad
14 May 2007

For years, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese who fled fighting in Darfur have received shelter in refugee camps in neighboring Chad. But having survived the violence, they now face a new threat in the deadly AIDS virus. Most had never heard of HIV or AIDS before they sought refuge in eastern Chad. But they are learning quickly, and trying to tell others in their community. Phuong Tran visited a camp 60 kilometers from the Sudanese border, and has this report for VOA.

At Camp Gaga, where some 15,000 Sudanese have sought refuge, Abdallah Abab talks to a group about HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

Abab holds up a plastic penis and puts a condom over it. He explains how the condom helps prevent the spread of the virus during sex.

Abab is one of a team of educators trained by the United Nations Children's Fund to reach out to other refugees.

In a tent next door, a group of women are also talking about the deadly virus. Safia Souleymane, 22, has been trained to go out and teach other women, most of whom are in polygamous marriages, how to protect themselves.

Sudanese mother and child, Habile, Chad, 14 May 2007

Souleymane says she knows HIV is a serious disease and says this is why she volunteered to be an educator. She talks with women about condoms and staying faithful, and tells them to go to the hospital for free condoms.

Nanylta Madingue is UNICEF's HIV and AIDS program officer for eastern Chad. She monitors the discussions in both tents to make sure everyone understands.

Madingue says the women and men are taught separately to make sure they feel comfortable talking openly about a sensitive topic most only heard of after they crossed over into Chad.

The United Nations conducted a study about AIDS in Chad's refugee camps shortly after the Sudanese first sought safety there from Darfur's ethnic¹ violence in June 2004.

The study indicated how little the mostly illiterate² refugee community knew about a disease that now surrounds it.

Madingue says some Sudanese refugees continue cultural practices in Chad that increase the risk of infection. Among the practices are the ritual cutting of young girls' sex organs, tattooing³ and polygamy.

She adds that the refugees' new environment, in eastern Chad presents other risks.

"Before, these refugees lived in their own villages and had little contact with people outside their communities," said Madingue. "But now, they are in close contact with surrounding communities where there are cases of HIV. There is a much higher risk of infection."

Madingue says the refugees in the camps are vulnerable to infections from outsiders because of inter-ethnic violence and looting, which often leads to rape⁴. But she says the medical community still does not know how serious the problem is.

"We need voluntary testing centers in the communities where refugees live alongside Chadians to know how many are infected," she added.  "But to do that, we need money. We have suspected cases and some confirmed ones, but we fear the risk is extremely high. We want to act quickly."

In the nearby community of Goz Beida, home to more than 25,000 Sudanese refugees, doctors at the local hospital recently tested 50 pregnant women to see how many of their babies were infected.

Ten percent of the tests came back positive.

The most recent HIV statistics for Chad were compiled before waves of violence scattered⁵ thousands of Chadians into close quarters with Sudanese refugees.

The UNAIDS office estimates that at the end of 2005 about four percent of women were infected in Chad, slightly more than men.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

3 tattooing   

n.刺字，文身v.刺青，文身( tattoo的现在分词 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• tattooing and body piercing 文身和穿体装饰
• On earth most work of the absolute shy cattle ^s skin-tattooing world! 地球上最牛的纹身绝对惊世之作！ 来自互联网

4 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

5 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。