VOA常速英语2007年-WHO Chief Wants Access To Medicines For Poor Co

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
05 November 2007

Director-General of the World Health Organization says people in poor countries should not be denied medicine they need to treat illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis¹ because of the cost. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva WHO chief Margaret Chan outlined the problems facing developing countries at the opening of a week-long conference set to tackle the problem of providing essential medicine to poor countries.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan says many sick people in developing countries die because they cannot afford medicine that can cure them. In some cases, she says resistance to diseases develops because they fail to be treated promptly² and properly.

She blames much of this on the inability of the poor to get hold of the medicine and health care they need.

"I am fully³ committed to equitable⁴ access," said Dr. Chan. "People should not be denied access to life-saving and health-promoting interventions⁵ for unfair reasons. I am aware that the price of medicines and other products can be prohibitive, effectively blocking access to care. I have seen studies that show the limit, in dollars, to what people are able to pay to preserve even something as vital as their eyesight."

The WHO chief acknowledges the need for innovation in public health and drug research. Advocacy groups accuse pharmaceutical⁶ companies of failing to do the research needed on diseases that disproportionately affect the poor because there is little profit in it.

Dr. Chan draws a link between good health and the ability of families to work their way out of poverty.

"The challenge is to work on multiple fronts: to meet the immediate⁷ need for equitable access to quality, affordable⁸ medicines, while also working, at the same time, to stimulate⁹ innovation," she said. "The route to addressing these concerns passes through many other territories, including those where legal, economic, and trade issues have prominence¹⁰. This is the reality."

The so-called WHO Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property was created last year in the wake of a WHO-commissioned report. It called for the pharmaceutical industry to slash¹¹ the price of drugs sold in developing countries. Many drug companies say they have already done so.

The negotiations¹² taking place are aimed at drawing up a plan of action and strategy for research and development that will be beneficial for poor countries. The final plan of action will be presented to the World Health Assembly in May.

1 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

2 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

5 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

6 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

9 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

10 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

11 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

12 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。