DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Health Problems in Afghanistan

DEVELOPMENT REPORT – September 9, 2002: Health Problems in Afghanistan

By Jill Moss¹

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

Afghanistan is facing a severe health care crisis². There is not enough food, shelter and clothing for all the people.
There is also a serious lack of health care workers. In addition, drugs, medical equipment and fuel are in limited
supply. Repairs at health centers are also needed.

The World Health Organization estimates³ six-million people in Afghanistan can not get any health care. Life
expectancy⁴ for the people of Afghanistan is among the lowest in the world. Men live to be about forty-five years
old while women live to about age forty-seven. Also, more than twenty-five percent of all children in
Afghanistan die before the age of five. More than half of these young children suffer from poor nutrition.

The W-H-O also says the number of women in Afghanistan who die during childbirth is the second highest in the
world. This is partly because fewer than fifteen percent of all births in the country are attended by a trained health
care worker.

Many humanitarian⁵ organizations are working to improve the situation in Afghanistan. For example, the medical
group Doctors without Borders is providing treatment and food at refugee⁶ camps along the Afghan border. The
American-based group Direct Relief International has also given Afghan hospitals and medical centers millions
of dollars in medicines and supplies.

The W-H-O says many deaths could be prevented if Afghans were better informed, especially about pregnancy⁷
risks. Usually, male family members decide when a woman should visit a health center. Based on this, the W-HO and other aid groups produced a short film that was shown in more than two-hundred villages. In the film, two
brothers must decide whether to take their wives to a hospital when the women develop problems with their
pregnancies⁸. One brother seeks medical help for his wife, who later gives birth to two healthy babies. The other
brother refuses to seek medical help and his wife dies from bleeding.

The W-H-O also is launching⁹ a new radio program to provide information about health and how to prevent
disease¹⁰. Female¹¹ Afghan reporters will broadcast the radio programs two times a week. The broadcasts are
expected to begin next month.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss.

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1 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

2 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

3 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

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。

6 refugee   

n.难民，流亡者

参考例句：

• The refugee was condemned to a life of wandering.这个难民注定要过流浪的生活。
• The refugee is suffering for want of food and medical supplies.难民苦于缺少食物和医药用品。

7 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

8 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

9 launching   

n.（火箭等的）发射；（船的）下水（典礼）；发动；发行v.发射( launch的现在分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• They are launching out into a series of scientific experiments. 他们正在着手进行一系列科学试验。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• John is launching his son on a career in banking. 约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

11 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。