2006年VOA标准英语-DRCongo AIDS Victims Often Ignorant of Status

By Nico Colombant
Kinshasa
30 November 2006

United Nations statistics¹ say women are the most numerous victims of HIV/AIDS in Africa.  In the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, VOA's Nico Colombant went to the main hospital in the capital, Kinshasa, where there is an aisle² for women who have the deadly virus. Some of them refuse to know their status.

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A woman is examined at AIDS clinic run by Medecins Sans Frontieres in Kinshasa, Congo

Doctors and nurses quietly shuffle³ through what they call "death row," here in a woman's section of the country's main hospital.

All the women have full blown AIDS. Most, however, refuse to be tested.

One exception is Chouchouna Mukesinga. 

"I am getting treatment but it is very difficult," she said.  "I vomit⁴ all the time. I have horrible stomach aches.  I know about these symptoms all too well. Both my parents died of AIDS and two of my children died as well.  My husband also died of AIDS. I took care of my mother before she died from this horrible sickness.  I always thought it was my fault that she had AIDS, because I was so young.  Now, it is me who carries this burden.  I saw her nails fall off, like mine are starting to.  I saw the spots on her face, and I am starting to get those as well."

She says it was important for her to know her status.

"I had to know. My only surviving son is only nine years old," she added.  "He needs to study. He needs to live.  So, I am under intensive treatment. But still it does not seem to be going too well for me.  I had to go to other hospitals before ending up here.  Now I am treated better, but I still cannot stop vomiting⁵ and having diarrhea.  I have lost 30 kilograms.  I try to eat well but it is so difficult."

Dr. J.M. Bwanahali heads the care for AIDS patients.  He says many of them do not know their status, because they do not want to and because they are too ashamed.

He says, for each victim, he tries to get a caretaker from outside the hospital. He says victims need psychological comfort.  He says they need someone who helps them eat better, live a cleaner life, as well as take their medication.

He says he believes AIDS is worse in Africa than elsewhere, because social conditions for the poor are so difficult here and make treatment much more difficult.

1 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。

2 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

3 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

4 vomit   

v.呕吐，作呕；n.呕吐物，吐出物

参考例句：

• They gave her salty water to make her vomit.他们给她喝盐水好让她吐出来。
• She was stricken by pain and began to vomit.她感到一阵疼痛，开始呕吐起来。

5 vomiting   

吐

参考例句：

• Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
• Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候，看不得人家呕。”