VOA慢速英语2013--AS IT IS - Medical treatment for adults infected with HIV

 

AS IT IS - Medical treatment for adults infected with HIV

This is AS IT IS.

Welcome back. I’m Caty Weaver¹. Today on the show the subject is HIV/AIDS.

In recent years, developing countries have increased the availability of medical treatment for adults infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But the United Nations AIDS organization UNAIDS says it is still difficult to get treatment for children in such countries. It warns that most children who are not treated will die by their fifth birthday.

Christopher Cruise reports on one group that is working to end pediatric AIDS.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation says progress is being made in preventing new HIV infections in children. It says there has been a 24 percent reduction in new cases since 2009. Much of that drop has resulted from providing antiretroviral drugs to more pregnant women infected with the virus.

But officials say much more needs to be done. Mary Pat Kiefer is the foundation’s director for technical leadership.

“We still have way too many children being infected and just in sub-Saharan Africa last year there were 300,000 kids with new infections. That’s way too many.”

Estimates show that in 2009, only 28 percent of children who needed HIV treatment received it. Mary Pat Kiefer says part of the problem is tied to health care systems in Africa. She says some are not able to link children of HIV positive women to the right services.

“I would say overall that we’re able to identify maybe 50 percent of those HIV exposed kids and test them. And we still have problems making sure we have everything in a place and can provide the services to kids.”

Treating a child with the human immunodeficiency virus is complex. Children are not just given a smaller amount of the medicines adults take. The drugs must be specially² prepared for a child’s body.

Ms. Kiefer says treating a baby can be especially difficult. She says as the number of infected infants goes down, drug companies have less cause to develop new medicines for children. The development of new drugs is costly³. The return on the investment may be small.

But Mary Pat Kiefer says drugs alone will not solve the problem. She says more attention must go to mother and child health care and improving healthcare systems. She says money for healthcare workers, equipment and supplies.

I’m Christopher Cruise.

A big health crisis in Uganda is the rising rate of HIV infections among married people. The main reason for the increase is cheating, when a married man or woman has sex with someone other than their wife or husband. As Mario Ritter reports, the subject is often too politically or culturally sensitive to discuss.

The face of Uganda’s battle against AIDS is changing. In the 1990s the country brought down its infection rate sharply through the ABC campaign. ABC stood for abstinence -- voluntarily doing without sex --- being faithful and condom use. The government urged people against sexual relationships with more than one person. It suggested the safest place for sex was within a secure, committed relationship.

But now HIV infection rates are climbing among Ugandans who are married. Results of a study last year showed that more than 40 percent of new HIV infections are among husbands and wives.

Sandra Kyagaba works with the National Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS. She says more than half of the women who seek help from her group are married.

“Most of them when they come, they will share with you and say, ‘I contracted HIV from my husband, I was really faithful.’ That means the husband was not faithful. It’s really very common here.”

Recently, the issue of cheating was publicized in the capital, Kampala. An American-based group, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, put up a big sign. It read “Cheating? Use a condom. Cheated on? Get tested.”

Omonigho Ufomata is with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. She says her group is willing to speak directly if it will help people protect themselves and their partners.

“We’re taking a pragmatic and practical approach saying that people stray outside of relationships. It’s not about judgment⁴, it’s not about trying to change that behavior or criticize it but simple that people protect themselves and protect their partners.”

But the sign angered many Ugandans who saw it as condoning⁵, or pardoning, infidelity. The government ordered the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to take it down. Uganda’s official AIDS Commission told the media that the AFH was spreading the wrong message.

The billboard⁶ has been removed. But a number of activists⁷ say the message was simply realistic. They argue infidelity is a part of Ugandan culture and must be considered in efforts to slow infection rates.

HIV infection rates are rising in the country for the first time in 20 years. Most Ugandans agree a change is necessary. But, what change to make and how? Activists and the government, so far, fail to agree.

I’m Mario Ritter.

About forty-million people around the world are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Most of them live in African countries south of the Sahara Desert.

In South Africa, 17 percent of adults are infected. Last year, the country began broadcasting a television show about people with HIV and AIDS.

The drama “Intersexions” was created by John Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa. Every week the series follows as HIV is passed from sexual partner to sexual partner.

Harriet Gavshon is a producer of the hit show.

“The original concept of ‘Intersexions’ was to try and explain to young people the idea of a sexual network. The idea that once you sleep with somebody, you’re entering into a huge network of millions of people you don’t know, so you should protect yourself.”

“Intersexions” is like many television dramas. It tells stories of love, sex, secrets and lies. But, there is a difference.

“Each week, we jump into a new milieu⁸, from the city to the rural areas, to the prisons, to a club…Somewhere along the twenty-six episodes you will come across someone just like yourself.”

One third of South African women between 20 and 25 years old are infected with the virus. Research shows risky⁹ sexual behavior is the main reason for the spread.

Lusanda Mahlasela from Johns Hopkins says say “Intersexions” shows the dangers of such behavior without disrespecting its audience.

“It becomes a fine line between trying to convey the message and making sure you’re not being judgmental and moralizing.”

The show has a strong presence on social media, where people like to discuss each episode.

Last year, “Intersexions” received a Peabody Award, one of the highest media honors in the world.

And that’s AS IT IS for today. I’m Caty Weaver.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

3 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 condoning   

v.容忍，宽恕，原谅( condone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I'm not condoning what he did, all right? 我并不是宽恕他的所作所为，好吗？ 来自电影对白
• Communist Party conservatives abhor the idea of condoning explicIt'sex. 党内的保守势力痛恨对赤裸性爱内容的宽容。 来自互联网

6 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 milieu   

n.环境；出身背景；(个人所处的)社会环境

参考例句：

• Foods usually provide a good milieu for the persistence of viruses.食品通常为病毒存续提供了一个良好的栖身所。
• He was born in a social milieu where further education was a luxury.他生在一个受较高教育就被认为是奢侈的社会环境里。

9 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。