VOA标准英语10月-d Cross: Millions of Iraqis at Risk From Polluted

The International Committee of the Red Cross warns millions of Iraqis are at risk of disease from polluted water and inadequate¹ health care. It says the situation of inadequate health care, water and sanitation² services is particularly bad in the Iraqi countryside. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from ICRC headquarters in Geneva.
　

International Committee of Red Cross says situation of inadequate health care, water and sanitation services particularly bad in Iraqi countryside

The International Committee of the Red Cross says security and the provision of essential services have somewhat improved in recent months. But, it says decades of conflict and war in Iraq have taken a heavy toll³ in terms of crumbling⁴ infrastructure⁵ and chronic⁶ shortages in basic supplies and services.

The Red Cross says it is particularly concerned about the millions of households that are not connected to a water network. ICRC spokeswoman, Dorothea Krimitsas tells VOA about 40 percent of the population, mainly in the countryside and suburbs, lacks access to clean, piped in water.

"Those who cannot buy water, which is at an average cost of 50 U.S. cents for about 10 liters, those who cannot afford that have to collect water from rivers and wells," she said. "These rivers and wells are very often polluted either by household waste, untreated sewage that goes directly to the rivers and other kinds of pollutions from everywhere… All these things are creating a situation that puts millions of Iraqis at risk today."

Krimitsas says many people are afflicted⁷ with water-borne diseases. Unfortunately, she says many are unable to get the treatment they need because hospitals are overstretched.

"They have to struggle with chronic shortages of medical supplies and also of equipment," she said. "The dilapidated medical facilities, sometimes also outdated⁸ medical facilities do not have proper maintenance and sanitation. Electricity shortages are still common all over the country. And, on top of that specialists are not always available."

The International Committee of the Red Cross is expanding its water, sanitation and health care programs in Iraq. The organization also is delivering drugs and surgical⁹ dressing¹⁰ materials to hospitals.

But, Krimitsas notes humanitarian¹¹ assistance alone cannot solve the country's vast problems. She says that will only be possible when civilians¹² who are targeted or killed and injured on a daily basis can live in a safe and better environment.

1 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

2 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 crumbling   

adj.摇摇欲坠的

参考例句：

• an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof 一所灰泥剥落、屋顶漏水的老房子
• The boat was tied up alongside a crumbling limestone jetty. 这条船停泊在一个摇摇欲坠的石灰岩码头边。

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

7 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

8 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

9 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

10 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

11 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。