VOA标准英语10月-Nigeria's Community Outreach Improves Polio Immun

Nigeria's polio cases have increased dramatically this year as officials struggle to fight an outbreak set off by the polio vaccine¹ three years ago. Gilbert da Costa looks at a new community-based drive to eradicate² the crippling disease in this background report from Kano.
　

Female health official tries to drop polio vaccine into mouth of child in Kaiama town (file photo)

A grassroots mobilization initiative, the Community Participation³ for Action in the Social Sector⁴, known as COMPASS, a United States Agency for International Development-funded project, is promoting oral polio vaccines⁵ and changing long-held suspicions in polio-endemic northern Nigeria.

Using a community coalition⁶ model COMPASS has succeeded in raising awareness⁷ and acceptance of vaccines in some of Kano's conservative, rural communities. Kano accounts for nearly 40 percent of all new polio cases in Nigeria.

Dr. Kelvin Chukwuemeka runs the government-owned Gaya General Hospital, 64 kilometers from Kano.

"Polio has been a major issue and we have been getting some cases. This week we even got one, about two days ago," Chukwuemeka said. "The trend has been going down because the awareness has been created through people like the community coalition, the advocacy is being carried out very well. Before now, people used to attribute it to juju or some spirit and things. But they have come to realize it is something that can be prevented and they can get help."

Grassroots-based community coalitions⁸, have rallied support for polio immunization and galvanized low-income local communities to improve health facilities and services.

Halima Wada, who is in charge of the post-natal clinic at Gaya hospital, says insecticide-treated bed nets were provided as incentive⁹ for mothers to bring their children for immunization.

"If the mother is attending immunization three times or she comes for the last dose, we provide net for her baby," Wada explained. "COMPASS are the ones that provide the nets to give to mothers. Because of these nets, they are coming to the hospital. Before, they were not agreeing to the immunization."

A polio advocacy worker in Kano, Aminu Ahmed, was paralyzed by the disease at an early age. These days, he works part-time with vaccination¹⁰ teams trying to make inroads in conservative Kano neighborhoods.

"Most of the times we tell the people, 'Do you want your son to be like me?' If you say 'Yes', we will leave you. If you say 'No', I will say, 'Give your children to be immunized," Ahmed said.

Polio eradication¹¹ efforts have been further boosted by the requirement that polio vaccines must be administered to Muslims from polio endemic countries before they are allowed into Saudi Arabia for Islamic pilgrimage.

More than 100,000 Muslims from Nigeria visit Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage every year. Umar Bello is the chief imam of Gaya local government in Kano state.

"The commissioner¹² and director told us that no one can go to Mecca except they take polio," Bello said. "Even they showed us pictures of some [pilgrims] from Afghanistan, Pakistan taking polio [vaccines]. As we heard this, most of us must go to Mecca to perform our Haj, so now we accept [vaccines]."

Polio Campaigners are pleased with the progress in breaking down barriers in the previously¹³ inaccessible¹⁴ northern Nigeria.

"My name is Dr. Lola Mabogunje. I am the regional field activity director for COMPASS polio. I am in charge of eight states that are high risk to polio," the doctor explained. "The communities are now renewed. In every mosque¹⁵ now, every Friday they will announce the importance of immunization. At every [child] naming ceremony they do the announcement and they actually pray for the eradication of polio. Which means something is being done by the communities. I am quite impressed about that."

Polio is a viral disease that can damage the nervous system and cause paralysis¹⁶. The disease is preventable by immunization. The World Health Organization has listed Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan as the only polio-endemic countries in the world.

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

3 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

8 coalitions   

结合体，同盟( coalition的名词复数 )； （两党或多党）联合政府

参考例句：

• History testifies to the ineptitude of coalitions in waging war. 历史昭示我们，多数国家联合作战，其进行甚为困难。
• All the coalitions in history have disintegrated sooner or later. 历史上任何联盟迟早都垮台了。

9 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

10 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

11 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

12 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

13 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

14 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

15 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

16 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。