2007年VOA标准英语-Africa, Parts of Asia, Face Critical Medical Sh

By Melinda Smith
Washington
06 September 2007
 

In 2006, the World Health Organization issued a report that a critical shortage of doctors and nurses has contributed to severe health problems in Africa and parts of Asia. The report said at least four million more medical personnel were needed in developing countries around the world.  Has anything changed since that report?  VOA's Melinda Smith looks at the situation.

Many countries in Africa have a severe shortage of nurses and doctors

Lesotho is one of 57 countries around the world desperately¹ in need of doctors and nurses.  A recent report by the American broadcast network ABC says there are only six pediatricians in the country to care for an estimated 800,000 children.

Many of those children are sick with HIV or dying of AIDS.

A group of American doctors from Baylor College of Medicine in Texas are in Lesotho to alleviate² the shortage of nurses and doctors.  In the meantime, mothers of sick babies step in to help give the medicine.

Motloheloa Phooko, Lesotho's Minister of Health

At present Lesotho has one pediatrician for every 130,000 children.  Motloheloa Phooko, Lesotho's Minister of Health, says most native-born doctors get their training elsewhere and do not come back.  That, she says, has affected³ the standard of care, especially for very ill patients.  "We are saying we will use whatever we can.  And maybe one pediatrician educates 100 to 200 nurses."

One of the doctors from Baylor is Dr. Lineo Thahane. She is working at a clinic that Baylor established almost two years ago.  She and the other doctors are trying to treat as many patients as they can, while training local doctors and nurses at the time. "We have the medications.  They are distributed throughout the country.  What we need is people who are comfortable administering those medications to children."

There are some success stories.  One of them is two-year-old Lebohang Sekeleoane. While he is HIV positive, he has returned home and is doing well. 

Another pediatrician from Baylor, Dr. Tony Garcia-Prats, is looking forward to the day when the foreign doctors will no longer be needed. "African doctors and nurses can take care of kids well. That is sort of our future goal, and training is a huge part of what we do."

The World Health Organization report called for a boost in the health care budgets of many of these countries -- from a yearly average of $33 spent per person to $43 per person.  The WHO says spending more for basic medical care is a good incentive⁴ for local doctors to stay.

1 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

2 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

3 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。

4 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。