VOA标准英语10月-Aid Group Says Free Testing, Treatment Essential

An international medical aid group says the number of people dying from malaria¹ could be dramatically reduced by providing free testing and treatment. The group made the announcement based on three successful programs in Africa where most malaria deaths occur. VOA Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our West Africa Bureau in Dakar.

The Doctors Without Borders, called MSF, humanitarian² group says new advances in medicine make it ever more possible to combat malaria, one of the world's deadliest diseases. But it says these new methods will not succeed if their cost is passed on to the patient.

The group issued a report based on programs in three African countries, Mali, Chad and Sierra Leone.
　

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes

Malaria kills an estimated one million people every year, mostly in Africa. Yet it is easily treated using new, rapid diagnostic kits³, that allow treatment to begin immediately, and a combination of new drugs.

The report says the number of children receiving treatment in Mali tripled, and child deaths from malaria in Sierra Leone were halved⁴ when the treatment was free.

But MSF Advisor⁵ Seco Gerard says these techniques are expensive, especially for people in rural areas where malaria predominates. As a result many do not seek treatment.

Humanitarian groups usually provide treatment for free. But Gerard says it should be a policy for all providers.

"There are several African countries that have changed their health financing policy and where health care now does not require patients to pay," said Seco Gerard. "So we would hope that this kind of approach would be extended."

Malaria is caused by a parasite⁶ that is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. It can be prevented through the use of mosquito nets treated with insect repellant.

Gerard agrees prevention should be part of the program to combat malaria and says her group also works in this area.

"Nevertheless, there are still some people that are going to be infected, a lot of children that will be sick," she said. "And if those children do not get access quickly to the treatment they need, a big part of them are going to die."

A network of 100 institutions and governments last week launched at the United Nations the Roll Back Malaria campaign. The campaign aims to virtually eliminate malaria deaths in seven years at a cost of more than $5 billion per year.

Gerard praised the effort, but said some of these funds should be used to make treatment free.

"If we continue in very poor countries to ask the patients to pay for the malaria care that the people need, those objectives unfortunately will not be reached," said Seco Gerard.

Experts agree, but note that this requires mechanisms⁷ and political commitment to ensure that funding continues and the medicines reach people in remote areas.

1 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。

2 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。

3 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

4 halved   

v.把…分成两半( halve的过去式和过去分词 )；把…减半；对分；平摊

参考例句：

• The shares have halved in value . 股价已经跌了一半。
• Overall operating profits halved to $24 million. 总的营业利润减少了一半，降至2，400 万元。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

6 parasite   

n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客

参考例句：

• The lazy man was a parasite on his family.那懒汉是家里的寄生虫。
• I don't want to be a parasite.I must earn my own way in life.我不想做寄生虫，我要自己养活自己。

7 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》