VOA标准英语2013--Somalia Hospitals See Fewer War Victims

 

Somalia Hospitals See Fewer War Victims

For over 20 years, the Medina Hospital in Mogadishu has treated the victims of Somalia’s war. With the biggest emergency care facility in the city, Medina serves as a referral hospital for trauma¹ and surgery cases from all over south central Somalia and can admit up to 300 patients at one time.

But Mogadishu’s newfound peace, secured by African Union Forces who pushed al-Shabab militants² out of the city in 2011, is changing Medina’s caseload. Doctor Mohamed Yusuf said the number of patients arriving at the hospital for treatment of war wounds is declining.

"Medina you can use as a thermometer. It has the temperature of the security of the city. Every person that gets injured by bullet, shelling, hand bomb or land mine, usually they transport them to this hospital," he said. 

Hospital director Yusuf said war-wounded patients once occupied 95 percent of Medina's beds. Now, he estimates, the number has dropped to between 70 and 80 percent.

But insecurity lingers, and gunshots ring out nearby.

"This is unusual, but it is to remember that we are in Mogadishu," stated Yusef.

More and more patients are coming to Medina Hospital for elective surgery or for treatment of medical problems such as cancer or hernias.

In the maternity³ ward⁴, Shukriye Mallow has come to deliver her seventh child.

"I live far away and was not expecting to come to the hospital. The baby was in danger so they took me here to deliver through an operation," she said.

Obstetrician Nima Abdi Hassan has been caring for Shukriye Mallow, who traveled 300 kilometers to reach Medina.  Not long ago, such a journey would have been impossible.

Though the growing peace has improved access to health care, Doctor Hassan still faces challenges.  

"We don't have well-equipped intensive care units to treat patients, so that is the gap that is missing," she said. "That is most needed right now."

As Somalia stabilizes⁵, the country’s health care demands are shifting. 

1 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

4 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

5 stabilizes   

n.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的名词复数 )v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The broadbased attachment of the mesenteric root stabilizes the small bowel. 肠系膜根部基底宽阔的附着面使小肠得以稳定。 来自辞典例句
• The available supply of industrial product and produce stabilizes growth. 工业品与农产品的有效供给稳定增长。 来自互联网