2007年VOA标准英语-Rwanda Looks to Education, Generic Medicines to

By Noel King
Kigali, Rwanda
06 September 2007

An estimated 190,000 people in Rwanda, about three percent of the population, are infected with HIV and AIDS. But there is optimism at the highest levels of government that education can stem the spread of disease. Noel King reports from Kigali that officials also hope generic¹ anti-retroviral drugs from Canada may drastically improve the lives of many affected² by HIV/AIDS.

HIV-infected patients resting in a hospital in Gitarama, Rwanda (file photo)

Rwandan officials announced their intent to import generically³ made HIV/AIDS medications manufactured in Canada, last July.

Medical authorities in Rwanda have not yet approved the drugs for public consumption; but they acknowledge that cheaply made drugs could have a tremendous effect on this developing nation.

Executive Secretary of Rwanda 's National AIDS Control Commission, Agnes Binagwaho, spoke⁴ to VOA in Kigali. She said generic drugs could benefit impoverished⁵ people living with the disease.

 

"For changing the life of people living with HIV/AIDS, there will be no doubt," she said. "If those are good drugs, cheap drugs. The cheaper it is, the more people we can put on treatment with the same amount of money. It can change the future."

Rwanda is the first country to take advantage of a World Health Organization waiver that allows poor countries to work around patent laws and import generic drugs that cannot be manufactured domestically.

Binagwaho said Rwanda has also made great strides with campaigns aimed at educating the public on condom use and urging compassion⁶ for those who are ill.

 

Rwandan national surveys indicate HIV/AIDS patients are rarely stigmatized⁷, although many people prefer to live with the disease in secret.

 

Binagwaho notes that Rwanda has also chosen to directly address the problem of female sex workers.

 

"What we try to do, we try to pull them out of prostitution, give them another way to have [an] income so that those women can work, real work and do not sell their bodies to have money. And it works," she said.

U.S. aid to Rwanda to tackle HIV/AIDS increased 31 percent to almost $103 million in 2007.

 

Challenges still loom⁸ though, as an influx⁹ of formerly¹⁰ displaced Rwandans have returned home from Tanzania with high rates of disease.

It is unclear what impact the flood of refugees fleeing violence in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, will have on HIV/AIDS rates in Rwanda.

1 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 generically   

adv.一般地

参考例句：

• The so-called critics are generically mentioned, but not individually mentioned. 当所谓的批评提及时总是一笔带过，从不指名道姓。 来自互联网
• We market these drugs generically. 我们推广的这些药是未经注册的。 来自互联网

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

7 stigmatized   

v.使受耻辱，指责，污辱( stigmatize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was stigmatized as an ex-convict. 他遭人污辱，说他给判过刑。 来自辞典例句
• Such a view has been stigmatized as mechanical jurisprudence. 蔑称这种观点为机械法学。 来自辞典例句

8 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

9 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

10 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。