2007年VOA标准英语-Islam Presents Life-Death Challenge in Chad's H

By Phuong Tran
Abeche, Chad
06 June 2007

In Africa, some Muslims interpret¹ Islam's teachings to mean a husband has almost total control over his wife - including her health care. Even in cases when a procedure might save a woman's life, health-care workers will often wait for a man's approval to proceed. Phuong Tran visits a hospital in the Central African country of Chad, and has this report for VOA.

Patient Halime Mahamat with mother

Here in the maternity² ward³ of Abeche Regional Hospital in eastern Chad, Halime Mahamat lies on a cot. Her mother and midwife sit beside her, fanning her as she lies on her side, staring to the floor.

The patient is recovering from a caesarian section to deliver her child.

The head of the midwife team, Fatine Maloun, says the 29-year-old patient came to the hospital with problems in the first hours of her labor⁴. The midwife told the patient's parents the woman needed a caesarian, but they refused.

The patient's mother said she could not decide because her daughter's husband was not at home to give permission. She adds she was not able to find any other men in the family to give permission in his absence.

Maloun says the patient came back two days later after a man gave permission for the operation. By then, the midwife says the patient had lost a lot of blood, developed an infection and a high fever.

The midwives operated, but the midwife says it was too late to save the baby.

Midwife Fatine Maloun with patient

But midwife Maloun says the midwives had no other choice but to wait.

"When a woman comes to the hospital, first her husband must be consulted about her care," she explains. "Even if he agrees, her father must also. And her uncles. All the men have to agree. This delays the woman's care, but we have to wait."

 

Senegal-based sociologist⁵ Djiby Diakhate says Islam presents a challenge to doctors who are taught to save lives under all circumstances.

Diakhate says even though doctors take a professional vow⁶ to protect life, they must also obey cultural beliefs.

The sociologist says health care workers in Muslim countries must accept what many believe is taught by the Koran, Islam's religious text, that a woman is completely dependent on her husband to make all important decisions.

He says for the patient who lost her baby, the midwives could have saved the child's life, but he says they chose to follow tradition to not risk angering God.

Diakhate says Muslims prefer to follow traditions, preferring to sacrifice the life of one child rather than face widespread death and retaliation⁷ from an angry God and ancestors.

At the hospital, the mother of the recovering patient pulls down the mosquito net as her daughter falls asleep.

She says if she could have decided⁸ on her own, she would have told the midwives to operate sooner.

But she says it was not possible to make the decision.

1 interpret   

vt.解释，说明，理解；vi.作口译

参考例句：

• We have to interpret his words in a modern light.我们不得不用现代观点来解释他的话。
• Please interpret the comments of our foreign guest.请把外宾的话翻译一下。

2 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

3 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。

6 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

7 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。