VOA标准英语2010年-WHO: Medical Supplies Blocked From Ent

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Israel is blocking vital medical supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.  The U.N. agency says it is impossible to maintain a well-functioning health system if necessary supplies are not available.

The World Health Organization is renewing its appeal to the Israeli government to allow necessary medical equipment, spare parts, and repair crews to enter the Gaza Strip.

WHO spokesman Paul Garwood says the agency has been waiting for up to a year to be allowed to bring in hundreds of items.  He says these include X-ray machines, electronic imaging scanners, laboratory equipment and basic items, such as elevators for hospitals.

"It is impossible to maintain a safe and effective health-care system under conditions of siege that have been in place now since June 2007," noted¹ Garwood.  "It is not enough to simply ensure that supplies such as drugs and consumables are able to enter the Gaza Strip.  Medical equipment and spare parts must be available and be properly maintained." 

Israel says it allows enough basic supplies through its border crossings to avoid an acute humanitarian² crisis. 

A WHO official in Jerusalem says the agency believes Israel is reluctant to allow certain items, such as batteries and electronic equipment into Gaza because it considers those items could potentially be used for military purposes.

Garwood says Gaza's health-care system also is not functioning as well as it could because Israel is preventing many medical professionals from leaving the Gaza Strip.

He says these people would like to go to other countries to continue their studies and upgrade their professional skills.

"If people are not able to enhance their skills in various medical specialties³, therefore they cannot provide the high level of health care and services that the population needs," he added.  "Again, if people are not able to enter Gaza to repair equipment, therefore, equipment must be re-bought new.  So, the high costs in terms of running a health system are exacerbated⁴ by the inability to repair existing equipment. Authorities there must buy new equipment." 

The U.N. agency reports mortality rates in Gaza are about 30 percent higher than among the Palestinian population in the West Bank.

The World Health Organization says chronic⁵ malnutrition⁶ in Gaza has increased during the past few years and is now just over 10 percent.
 

1 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。

2 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。

3 specialties   

n.专门，特性，特别；专业( specialty的名词复数 )；特性；特制品；盖印的契约

参考例句：

• Great Books are popular, not pedantic. They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. 名著绝不引经据典，艰深难懂，而是通俗易读。它们不是专家为专业人员撰写的专业书籍。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Brain drains may represent a substantial reduction in some labor force skills and specialties. 智力外流可能表示某种劳动力技能和特长大量减少。 来自辞典例句

4 exacerbated   

v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The symptoms may be exacerbated by certain drugs. 这些症状可能会因为某些药物而加重。
• The drugs they gave her only exacerbated the pain. 他们给她吃的药只是加重了她的痛楚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

6 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。