VOA慢速英语20060102a

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Yearly¹ Camp Offers Free Medical Care in Gujarat, in Western IndiaBy Jill Moss²

Broadcast: Monday, January 02, 2006

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Development Report.

Doctors expect to treat more than twenty thousand people this month at a special medical camp in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The two-week camp takes place each year during January at a hospital in the village of Bidada. This year, the camp opens on January second. A non-profit organization called the Shree Bidada Sarvodaya Trust organizes the event.


A young baby with Gangrene of the right leg

Doctors from India, the United³ States and England will treat the patients. Manilal Mehta is one of the organizers⁴ of the medical camp. He tells us that patients come from all over India, especially since the hospital in Bidada opened a new treatment center. The center was built as a result of the deadly earthquake in Gujarat in January of two thousand one.

Children as well as adults are treated at the medical camp. Doctor Mehta says doctors treat patients for more than twenty medical problems and diseases⁵. Hundreds of operations will be performed. Doctor Mehta says about one thousand minor⁶ operations were done last year. More than three hundred patients with serious problems were sent to hospitals in Mumbai.

The Bidada medical camp began thirty-one years ago. At first, doctors treated only patients with eye diseases. Then the organizers expanded the camp to help people with other problems. Doctor Mehta says about two-and-a-half million patients have been treated since the camp began in nineteen seventy-four.

People in India, the United States and other countries give money to operate the medical camp. About two hundred doctors and other medical workers from Mumbai take part in the yearly event. They work with a medical team of about fifty members from the United States. All of those involved in the camp provide their services without being paid.

Many of the doctors were born in Kutch but are now living in the United States. Some of them have been returning to the camp for many years. The doctors from the United States also teach local Indian doctors about developments in medical science.

The Shree Bidada Sarvodaya Trust also organizes smaller medical camps for patients at other times of year. The organization operates the hospital in Bidada as well as Maru Hospital in Mumbai. These hospitals treat about three hundred patients each day.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss. Internet users⁷ can read and listen to our reports at www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

2 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

3 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

4 organizers   

n.组织者( organizer的名词复数 )；备忘记事本，电子笔记本

参考例句：

• We need fewer organizers and more doers. 我们需要的是少些组织者，多些实干者。
• The organizers of the march were charged with assault and riotous assembly . 游行组织者被控侵犯人身及暴乱性非法集会。

5 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。