VOA标准英语2009年-Kenya Pledges New Funds for HIV / AIDS

Kenyan government says the percentage of people contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has been cut almost in half from 14 percent of the population in 2000 to 7.1 percent in 2007

Alisha Ryu | Nairobi 01 December 2009

A Kenyan Turkana woman in traditional dress join hundreds of Kenyans in a demonstration¹ to mark World Aids Day, in Nairobi (File)

Kenya has marked World AIDS day with a pledge to allocate² new funds to fight AIDS and HIV infection.  There are doubts as to whether the country can meet its pledges amid a looming³ funding crisis.

In its latest report, the United Nations says Kenya has reduced the number of AIDS related deaths by up to 25 percent in the past eight years.  The report says prevention programs have helped stabilize⁴ the rate of infections.

According to the Kenyan government, the percentage of people contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has been cut almost in half from 14 percent of the population in 2000 to 7.1 percent in 2007.

The government says the reduction is linked to a dramatic increase in the number of people, who have access to anti-retroviral drugs.  It says it hopes to reduce new HIV infections by 50 percent in the next five years.

But a potential funding crisis has cast doubt on whether Kenya can maintain its fight against the disease. 

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis⁵ and Malaria⁶ recently rejected Kenya's $270 million application for funds, saying it had concerns about Kenya's lack of transparency in handling past donations.

Marking World AIDS Day at a rally in Nairobi, the leader of the parliamentary committee on Kenyan reforms, Danson Mungatana, said despite the setback⁷ parliament would make every effort to provide adequate funding for HIV/AIDS programs.

"We will support government efforts in every way possible, as parliament, to increase the money that needs to go to HIV and AIDS in this country," said Mungatana.  "We know that what they have is not enough but this is an issue we are willing to look at afresh in parliament."

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch says among 150,000 Kenyan children living with HIV, about half have no access to treatment.  The group says adults are twice as likely to receive anti-retroviral therapy than children, and a lack of adequate food increases the risk for infants of dying from the disease.

Human Rights Watch senior researcher Julian Kippenberg adds that HIV-infected mothers often become unable to care for their children.

"HIV-positive mothers are often victims of discrimination and get kicked out of their house by their husband or family and end up living in squalid conditions with their children," Kippenberg.  "So they are in a very difficult position to look after a child.  They are in a very difficult position to look after themselves."

The situation for children with AIDS in Kenya is mirrored throughout much of eastern and southern Africa.  The two regions have the world's highest numbers of child deaths from HIV. 

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 allocate   

vt.分配，分派；把…拨给；把…划归

参考例句：

• You must allocate the money carefully.你们必须谨慎地分配钱。
• They will allocate fund for housing.他们将拨出经费建房。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

5 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。

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 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。