环球英语 — 429：Hospital Transformation in Nepal

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Mike Procter.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight¹. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
The sound of a new–born baby. The young medical worker quickly puts the baby under a bright, warm light. Then, she holds it by its feet, and weighs it. After this, she passes the baby to the grandmother’s arms. The medical worker turns to the mother again. There is more work to do! The mother is in a lot of pain still. But now, there is a smile behind her pain. She has given birth to her first baby – a beautiful, healthy child.
Voice 2
A few years ago, new mothers like Durga struggled here. Durga lives in a countryside area near Lamjung, west central Nepal. It is not easy to reach a hospital in a countryside area. And in the past, many sick people chose not to make the long trip to Lamjung. This was because local people did not trust the hospital. They used to say it was ‘the place to go to die.’ The hospital was poorly managed. There was a lack of equipment and supplies. It was dirty. Animals walked freely² in and out. The government employed doctors and nurses to work there. But they did not like working in such a poor environment. So, they used to sign their names on the attendance³ paper, to get their pay. Then they left. Often, only the office boy remained at the hospital. There was little he could do to help sick people. He could give them weak pain–killing drugs. But these were not enough. And so the hospital remained empty most of the time. Only two or three patients came each week.
Voice 1
Walk into Lamjung hospital today. Now, you will see a very different picture. The white, clean walls and floors shine! Doctors and nurses move around busily. Patients wait in line for treatment. Over one hundred patients come each week to the hospital. So what happened to create such a great change? In today’s programme, we will tell us how Lamjung became the hospital it is today.
Voice 2
Some people say that tragic⁴ events can have one of two effects. They can create more tragedy⁵. Or, they can lead people to positive action. Tirtha Thapa, chose to act positively⁶ after a tragic event in his life. Tirtha grew up in Lamjung. He was just fifteen [15] years old when his father died. At the time, Tirtha did not really understand the cause of his father’s death. But he knew that he wanted to do something to prevent the deaths of other people. He said;
Voice 3
‘When my father died I felt that we should have a good hospital in Lamjung. I was fifteen. Since that time this idea was in my head.’
Voice 2
As time passed, Tirtha learned⁷ more about his father’s sickness and death. This increased his desire to improve the hospital in Lamjung. Tirtha explained;
Voice 3
‘My father had a very common urine infection⁸. He should have drank plenty of water to help him recover. But the medical worker told him not to drink any water. The worker said then my father would not suffer – he would not have to use the toilet all the time. But he became more sick.
Later, I understood that with the right advice, my father would have lived. So, it became clear to me that we should do something. We needed a good hospital in Lamjung.’
Voice 2
Tirtha was prepared to work hard to make this happen. He considered training as a medical doctor himself. But medical training is costly⁹, and Tirtha did not have the money. So instead he went to work for a Christian¹⁰ development organisation¹¹ in Kathmandu. The organisation was called Human Development and Community Services – or HDCS. However, the idea for a good hospital remained in Tirtha’s mind and heart. And he prayed that one day it would happen.
Voice 1
However, it was not until fifteen [15] years later that he got the chance. By this time Tirtha was the chief of HDCS. Lamjung community leaders came to talk to Tirtha. They had seen some of the good work that Christian groups were doing with hospitals in Nepal. They knew that Tirtha had good connections with Christian organisations. So they asked Tirtha if HDCS could help to improve Lamjung hospital. Tirtha agreed.
Voice 2
The HDCS team worked very hard to clean and improve Lamjung hospital. And, the Lamjung community leaders were extremely¹² pleased with the results. So much so, that they asked HDCS to come and manage the hospital completely¹³!
Voice 1
To do this, HDCS needed to go through several processes. It was not easy. They collected letters from the local people and the local government. These letters expressed the local people’s desires. HDCS presented the letters to the health authority¹⁴. The authority’s decision came two years later, in 2001. At last, HDCS signed an agreement with the government to manage Lamjung Hospital.
Voice 2
HDCS began work straight away. They worked closely¹⁵ with the Lamjung community. They trained local people to work in the hospital. They wanted the community to own the hospital. This way, the care and work would continue into the future. Together they formed plans to improve and change the hospital. They changed all the work surfaces and floors to tiles¹⁶. These hard surfaces were much easier to keep clean than the old floors. Then HDCS workers extended¹⁷ the children’s area. And they built a special area for new mothers! They brought in new beds for patients. And after only a few months, the hospital was full! The word soon spread that Lamjung hospital had changed. It had become a clean, caring place. It had good, well trained workers. There was a good working environment. So hospital workers wanted to stay! Rashmi KC is one of the medical nurses at Lamjung today. She is twenty–two [22] years old. She said;
Voice 1
‘I became a medical worker to serve people, and to serve God. We have a good working environment here.’
Voice 2
The purpose statement¹⁸ of Lamjung hospital today is: ‘to be living witnesses¹⁹ of God’s love – and to give quality health services.’
Voice 1
Today, people travel for many hours to reach Lamjung hospital. They even come from other districts, where they have their own hospitals! This is because they know they will receive better treatment at Lamjung. Lamjung hospital is no longer a place where people go to die. Today, it is a place where people go to live.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 freely   

adv.自由地，随便地，无拘无束地

参考例句：

• She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水，痛痛快快地哭了起来。
• A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动，无固定形态。

3 attendance   

n.出席，出席人数，护理，照料

参考例句：

• The attendance of this class never dropped off.这个班的出席人数从未下降。
• The young man danced attendance on his rich aunt.这个年轻人小心侍候他有钱的姑妈。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 tragedy   

n.悲剧；惨事，惨案，灾难

参考例句：

• The news of the tragedy really knocked us out.关于这一惨案的消息确实使我们感到震惊。
• The play was a tragedy,but the acting was laughable.戏是悲剧，可是演得却令人发笑。

6 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

7 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

8 infection   

n.传染，影响，传染病

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a virus infection.他受到病毒感染。
• White blood cells fight infection.白血球抵抗感染。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

11 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

12 extremely   

adv.极其，非常，极度

参考例句：

• The film is extremely good,I just cannot miss it.这部电影太精彩了，我非看不可。
• The old man was extremely difficult to get along with.这个老人极难相与。

13 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

14 authority   

n.当局，官方；权力，权威，威信；当权者

参考例句：

• He is recognized internationally as an authority in this field.国际上承认他是这方面的一个权威。
• Professor White is looked upon as an authority on mathematics.怀特教授被看成数学权威。

15 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

16 tiles   

n.瓦片，瓷砖( tile的名词复数 )；扁平的小棋子

参考例句：

• The wind dislodged one or two tiles from the roof. 大风从屋顶上刮下了一两片瓦来。
• On both slopes of the roof there are broken tiles. 屋顶的两面斜面都有破瓦片。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 statement   

n.陈述；声明；综述

参考例句：

• The government will put out a new statement tomorrow.政府将于明天发布一项新声明。
• Put down your statement in black and white.把你的话用白纸黑字写下来。

19 witnesses   

n.目击者( witness的名词复数 )；证词；见证（以言行证实信仰）；见证人v.作证( witness的第三人称单数 )；表示；（摆证据）…就是证据；是…的迹象

参考例句：

• The evidence was corroborated by two independent witnesses. 此证据由两名独立证人提供。
• Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident. 警方呼吁这起事故的目击者出来作证。