2007年VOA标准英语-South Africa, Activists Launch New AIDS Plan

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
30 April 2007

Lerato, 7, sitting left, and her friends Abigain, 11, right, and Koketso, 14, watch television while being treated in the medical clinic of the Sparrow Rainbow Village in Johannesburg (File photo)

The government of South Africa has announced an ambitious plan to fight the AIDS virus. The new plan was drafted for the first time with AIDS activists¹ who had been highly critical of the government's previous AIDS programs. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

The announcement of the new five-year plan to fight HIV/AIDS formalized a new era of cooperation between the South African government and AIDS activists after years of sometimes bitter disputes.

Acting² Health Minister Jeff Radebe said the plan aims to reduce new infections of HIV by 50 percent in the next five years and raise the number of people receiving treatment from 250,000 to one million.

"We intend to provide an appropriate package of treatment, care and support services to at least 80 percent of our people living with HIV and their families by [the year] 2011," he said.

The plan also seeks to reduce mother-to-child transmission of AIDS, boost AIDS prevention campaigns, and strengthen programs to fight diseases associated with AIDS like tuberculosis³.

An alliance of care-givers, researchers, civic⁴ groups and other activists had long criticized the government for downplaying the AIDS epidemic⁵.

They have welcomed the new partnership⁶ with the government under the expanded South African National AIDS Council, which is to oversee⁷ the program in an advisory⁸ role.

They also praised the new plan, but warned implementation⁹ would be difficult.

South Africa's Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who presided over the program launch, acknowledged there would be many obstacles.

"The challenge is big, I know, and I have seen all of you in your different provinces that you are up to the task," she said. "I know about your commitment and with all of this partnership mobilization that we have I am sure we are going to be unstoppable."

More than five million South Africans are estimated to suffer from HIV, the second highest number in the world. The pandemic has reduced the average life expectancy¹⁰ to 40 years, hurt economic production and orphaned¹¹ more than one million children.

1 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》

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 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。

4 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

5 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

8 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

9 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

10 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。

11 orphaned   

[计][修]孤立

参考例句：

• Orphaned children were consigned to institutions. 孤儿都打发到了福利院。
• He was orphaned at an early age. 他幼年时便成了孤儿。