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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
US Called On to Lead Global Health Fund Replenishment2
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis3 and Malaria4 is marking its 10th anniversary. But celebrations have been subdued5 because of a lack of donations needed for future projects. The United States is being called on to lead efforts to replenish1 the fund, in a time of worldwide recession.
Last November, the fund’s board decided6 to cancel its latest attempt to ask for pledges from donors8. That put many planned projects in jeopardy9.
“There is a crisis. The global fund is functioning, but it did not get in its donor7 replenishments an adequate amount of money for the period 2011 to 2014. And as a result of that, it actually suspended what they call Round 11, which was supposed to take place in 2011. And because of that, many programs in many countries are now in peril,” said Jeffrey Sachs, head of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, who was among those who lobbied for the fund’s creation.
Estimates say about $2 billion in pledges is needed for Round 11.
Nay10 to naysayers
Sachs said the global fund is a success story that needs to be championed.
“Since the financial crisis, governments have cut back in spending in general, but many have found it convenient to cut back on spending on the world’s poorest people. This is of course a double tragedy. Often waste goes unattended, but because the poor don’t have a voice they don’t get heard,” he said.
Sachs and others want the United States to lead efforts to replenish the fund. They’re calling on the U.S. to propose an emergency donor meeting. If that happens, they say, Round 11 could still take place.
Sachs said the global fund has proven all the critics and naysayers wrong.
“It showed how every skeptic11 10 years ago who said - you could not treat AIDS in Africa, you could not get ahead of the epidemic12, you could not control malaria because bed nets would not be used and every other myth that was said - has been proved wrong,” he said.
Two key donors
The fund did receive good news from the World Economic Forum13 in Davos, Switzerland.
“Two key donors cast votes of confidence with their checkbooks. Bill Gates announced a $750 million promissory note to the fund and urged support for the fund. And Japan, despite an earthquake, tsunami14 and a nuclear crisis, reconfirmed its $800 million pledge. These contributions are a strong endorsement15 of the fund’s impact and effectiveness and a challenge to other donors to step up,” said Joanne Carter, director of the RESULTS Educational Fund.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been one of the world’s biggest contributors to health-related programs. Over the past 10 years, it gave the global fund $650 million. Gates described the promissory note as an innovative16 funding mechanism17.
“It frees up funds for (the) global fund and so they can immediately use the money and continue to save lives.” He said.
Gates says the global fund can change the fortunes of the world’s poorest countries. Supporters estimate the fund saves 100,000 lives every month by funding programs and projects in 150 countries.
1 replenish | |
vt.补充;(把…)装满;(再)填满 | |
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2 replenishment | |
n.补充(货物) | |
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3 tuberculosis | |
n.结核病,肺结核 | |
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4 malaria | |
n.疟疾 | |
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5 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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6 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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7 donor | |
n.捐献者;赠送人;(组织、器官等的)供体 | |
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8 donors | |
n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 );献血者;捐血者;器官捐献者 | |
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9 jeopardy | |
n.危险;危难 | |
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10 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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11 skeptic | |
n.怀疑者,怀疑论者,无神论者 | |
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12 epidemic | |
n.流行病;盛行;adj.流行性的,流传极广的 | |
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13 forum | |
n.论坛,讨论会 | |
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14 tsunami | |
n.海啸 | |
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15 endorsement | |
n.背书;赞成,认可,担保;签(注),批注 | |
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16 innovative | |
adj.革新的,新颖的,富有革新精神的 | |
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17 mechanism | |
n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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