2006年VOA标准英语-Bird Flu Pandemic High on World Health Ass

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
22 May 2006

The 192-nation World Health Assembly will consider ways to speed up efforts to contain a potential pandemic resulting from bird flu. More than 100 health ministers are attending the World Health Organization's annual conference to lay out the public health agenda for the group's work in the coming year.

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58th World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva  
  

The World Health Assembly took a long time to get down to business following the untimely death of World Health Organization's Director-General Lee Jong-wook.

WHO Executive Director Bill Keane read a few prepared remarks from a more comprehensive speech that was to be given by Dr. Lee.

The speech outlines important public health initiatives, one of the most important being avian influenza¹. The World Health Organization is calling on countries to speed up measures to control and contain a possible bird flu pandemic that could kill millions of people.

It warns countries that have not been hit by bird flu against complacency. Dr. Lee wrote they should use the time to prepare and protect themselves against the killer² disease.

Dr. Keane draws attention to the action taken this past year by 25 countries to get polio eradication³ efforts back on track. Most of these countries, which had been polio free, were re-infected with a polio virus from Nigeria.

Keene says mass immunization campaigns have been successful and only four polio endemic countries remain. He says India and Pakistan should be polio free by the end of the year and Afghanistan is making excellent progress in stamping out the disease

"Now the world is looking to Nigeria," said Bill Keane. "Up to half of the children are still being missed in the Northern States. This represents the last uncontrolled reservoir of polio in the world. The world has invested $4 billion, so far, in polio eradication. I appeal to you all to continue your support, both political and financial until the job is finished."

Keane notes that things are not going well with malaria⁴ control. He says many lives could be saved with simple tools, such as insecticide treated mosquito nets.

He says artemisin combination drug therapy can save lives.

"Many researchers are pursuing the ultimate goal of an effective vaccine⁵ against this disease," he said. "Yet, malaria remains⁶ the biggest cause of death for children under five in Africa. We accept our responsibility for this. Now is not the time for shyness. WHO will exercise much greater leadership in malaria control. We respect the excellent work of many partners fighting this disease. But, we must get back on track very quickly."

Keane says HIV/AIDS remains a huge problem and universal access to care and treatment that can extend life must become a reality. He says this means no one should die for lack of drugs.

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

3 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

4 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。

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。