2007年VOA标准英语-Childbirth Mortality in Mali Being Fought With

By Nico Colombant
Dakar
07 May 2007

While hospitals and doctors in Africa are few and far between, in the impoverished¹ West African country of Mali, the government takes health care to remote villages, by way of little mopeds. A system of so-called mobile health units was recently started after officials noticed that an effort to build decentralized health centers in remote areas was not working. VOA's Nico Colombant has more from Dakar, with reporting by Julie Vandal, who caught up with a roving, health care practitioner² who now travels by moped.

Starting up their Chinese-made moped, Doctor Yana Yanali and her nursing assistant Yousouf Dama set off at six in the morning on their rounds of villages around their health center in Koro, Mali.

They are the result of a new government strategy of using mopeds to take health care directly to villagers.

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Youssouf Dama writes down vaccinations

Yanali brings bundles of medical equipment, mosquito nets, documents  about her patients.

A village celebrates her arrival with drums, song and dance.

Speaking in the local Dogon language, Yanali greets women waiting for her.

On this day, she explains, she is here to help pregnant women.

She says she gives them advice in a group and then consultations⁴ one by one.

She says she tells them it is important to make sure there is always someone who will be next to them in case of a problem.

She also says it is important for them to keep a bit of money, even if it is just  $1, in case of a serious emergency.

She then takes out paperwork, before consulting with a 30-year-old eight-month pregnant woman, who already has four children.

She looks at her hair, her feet, her mouth, her teeth, her breasts, her uterus, her vagina, to see if everything is all right.

She checks the mother's pulse and determines she is healthy.

In 41 villages in the surrounding area, every day, dry or rainy season, rain or no rain, we go out and take care of the people, she says.

She also vaccinates⁵ children, looks after newborns, teaches families about safe drinking water and how to prevent malaria⁶.

She says her health is not so great herself. She is getting tired, and she once fell of the moped, and her kidneys hurt. She also does not have a helmet to wear for her own protection on the bumpy⁷, dusty tracks around Koro, Mali.

She says she hopes it is worth it and that her work is helping⁸ reduce the number of women in Mali who die during childbirth, estimated at one every three hours, and also helps them reduce infant mortality, which is one of the world's highest.

A previous attempt to set up more health centers in remote areas did not have much impact on improving the situation. The government says it will study later this year whether using mopeds to create these new mobile units is making a difference, and whether doctors within mobile units are really making the effort, as Yanali is.

1 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 practitioner   

n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者

参考例句：

• He is an unqualified practitioner of law.他是个无资格的律师。
• She was a medical practitioner before she entered politics.从政前她是个开业医生。

3 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 vaccinates   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的第三人称单数 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• The coverage rates of BCG,DPT,measles and polio vaccinates are 99 42%,99 79%,99 26%,99 21%,respectively. 1995 年“四苗”单项接种率分别为BCG99.42% 、TOPV99.21% 、DPT99.79% 、MV99.26% , “四苗”全程率98.84% 。

6 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

7 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。