VOA常速英语2020--抗击镰状细胞病（在线收听）

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

以下是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。

Every year, around 300,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa are born with Sickle Cell Disease, caused by an ancient mutation in one of the genes governing the development of hemoglobin. The disease causes extreme pain, organ, and immune system damage. “That damage to the immune system happens very, very early. So children who don't get appropriate care can die of bacterial infections very rapidly,” explains Brett Giroir, a pediatric doctor and Admiral in the United States Public Health Service who currently serves as the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Indeed, in low- and middle-income countries, an estimated 80 percent of children with Sickle Cell Disease die before the age of 5. Because Sickle Cell Disease is the most common -genetic disorder among African Americans, “the United States …has really taken bold leadership in bringing sickle cell disease to the forefront,” said Admiral Giroir.

在撒哈拉以南的非洲地区，每年有大约30万儿童生来患有镰状细胞病，这种疾病是由控制人类血红蛋白发育的一个基因发生古老突变引起的。这种疾病会导致极度疼痛、以及器官和免疫系统受损。“免疫系统遭受的损伤开始得非常、非常、非常早。因此，得不到适当治疗的儿童可能很快就会死于细菌感染。”美国公共卫生服务局的儿科医生兼上将布雷特·吉罗伊尔解释道，他目前担任美国卫生及公共服务部助理部长。事实上，在中低收入国家，估计有80%的镰状细胞病患病儿童不到五岁便不幸夭折。由于镰状细胞病是非裔美国人最常患有的遗传性疾病，“美国真正勇敢地带头把镰状细胞病放在最优先处置的地位。”吉罗伊尔上将表示。

Internationally, the United States is working with countries like Uganda, which has just published a national plan to deal with Sickle Cell Disease. “The Ugandan plan, I think, is really a landmark,” said Admiral Giroir: “It's a specific plan. It's fully costed. It's done chronologically. So, we know what needs to be done when. So, it's a really robust plan that can serve as an example for the rest of the continent.” It’s important to note that this plan was made by the nation of Uganda for the people of Uganda,said Admiral Giroir. “What Uganda did is it did a survey to understand even within a country, there are many regions where sickle cell is much more common than other places. And these are sort of the accidents of genetics with…with who lives in those areas and how it developed over a period of time. So, this is a targeted plan. So it starts where the places that have the worst effects of sickle cell are. So, there are about 75 health districts that they're going to focus on first and then expand it.” Uganda has agreed to allow its plan to be disseminated throughout Africa. It will need to be adapted to the people, to the culture and economic situation of each country, but that can easily happen, said Admiral Giroir.“The first step is to have a plan. The second step is to really execute that plan. But we are in a really great position to make the plan and to execute it.”

美国在国际层面正与乌干达等国家合作。乌干达刚刚公布了一项应对镰状细胞病的国家计划，“我认为，乌干达计划的确是个里程碑”。吉罗伊尔上将表示：“这是个具体的计划。费用全部包含。计划分阶段执行。所以我们知道什么时候需要做什么事情。因此，这的确是个强有力的计划，能够成为非洲大陆其它地区的榜样。”吉罗伊尔上将指出，这项计划是乌干达国家为乌干达人民所制定的，这点很重要。“乌干达所做的，就是进行了一项调查，以了解即使在一个国家境内，也有很多地区的镰状细胞病要比其它地区更加常见。这些是当地民众的遗传基因发生的某种事故，是在一段时间内形成的。所以说，这是一个有针对性的计划。所以计划首先从那些镰状细胞病影响最严重的地区开始。因此，他们将首先关注大约75个卫生区，然后再进行拓展。”乌干达已同意允许向非洲各地传播这个计划。吉罗伊尔上将表示，这项计划需要针对各国的民众，文化和经济情况来进行调整，但这很容易做到。“第一步是制定计划。第二步是真正开始执行计划。但我们的确有很好的优势来制定计划并执行这个计划。”

That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

这是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。