VOA标准英语2015--专家评估埃博拉病毒的反应

Experts Assess WHO Ebola Response 专家评估埃博拉病毒的反应

A panel of experts released its assessment¹ Tuesday on the World Health Organization’s response to the West Africa Ebola outbreak. It said the crisis not only exposed organizational failings in the WHO, but shortcomings in the 10 year old International Health Regulations. The panel’s chair called the outbreak a defining moment.

Former Oxfam Great Britain Executive Director – Dame² Barbara Stocking – unveiled the findings of the Ebola Interim³ Assessment Panel.

“I think you all know that a year back from now we were really looking into the abyss, wondering how we could make sure that Ebola did not spread to the whole world.”

She explained why the scale of the disease was a defining moment for the WHO and member states.

“We think that there is a need for reform in the International Health Regulations. There is a need already for adherence⁴ to the regulations that are there, but we think they need strengthening. In part, because there are few incentives⁵ for countries to declare emergencies, but also a number of countries do in emergencies, including this one, put on trade and travel bans, which not only frighten people out of declaring, but they also make it very difficult to deliver a proper response,” she said.

The panel examined the WHO as a health emergency agency.

“We know that for it to function properly for that it will need to be changed quite a lot to be truly fit for purpose. But we think that is perfectly⁶ possible and we are very pleased to know that the World Health Assembly agreed with us,” said Stocking.

The panel also considered the WHO’s role and cooperation with other health and humanitarian⁷ systems.

“WHO needs to make sure that it is properly interconnected with that wider humanitarian system. Because we believe that if that had happened back in May/June of last year, we wouldn’t have reached the position that we did,” she said.

The experts said WHO member states must also do their part, including “political and financial support to the organization.”

The Ebola Interim Assessment Panel said while “health is considered the sovereign responsibility of countries, the means to fulfill⁸ this responsibility are increasingly global.”

It recommended that countries should be given incentives to encourage them to notify public health risks to the WHO. It also said global health issues should be at the center of the global security agenda. The panel added that the World Health Organization should remain the lead agency in an emergency response. But it stressed that organizational and financial issues must be urgently addressed.

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

3 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

4 adherence   

n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着

参考例句：

• He was well known for his adherence to the rules.他因遵循这些规定而出名。
• The teacher demanded adherence to the rules.老师要求学生们遵守纪律。

5 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。