环球英语 — 139：Traditional Healers Help With HIV

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹. I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
If you were sick, where would you go for help?
Voice 2
Many people in the world would go to the hospital. They would seek help from a doctor.
Voice 1
Other people would go to a local health clinic. At the clinic they would talk to a health worker.
Voice 2
But still other people would go to see a traditional healer² in their community. They would ask the healer how to get better.
Voice 1
On today’s Spotlight we will describe how doctors, health workers and traditional healers are all working together. They are working together to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS.
Voice 2
Philip is a traditional healer in South Africa. He has been working as a healer for more than thirty [30] years. For many years Philip did not trust Western medicine. He believed his methods were best. He said,
Voice 3
“I did not trust western drugs or their testing.”
Voice 1
But AIDS is a rising problem in South Africa. The BBC³ says that AIDS kills almost one thousand [1000] people each day in that country. Because of this, Philip and other traditional healers agreed to attend a six-week training at a local hospital. The training was to teach the healers more about HIV and AIDS. Now Philip understands why it is important that he works⁴ with doctors when treating patients with HIV.
Voice 2
You see, in the past many traditional healers did not know much about HIV. They did not know how HIV spreads through blood, through body fluids⁵ during sex and breastfeeding, and through drug injections⁸.
Voice 1
In fact, some traditional healers were spreading HIV with their traditional methods. There are reports of healers trying to remove blood diseases¹⁰ with their mouths. They will place their mouths on a person’s wound¹¹. They will suck¹² the person’s blood into their mouths. This is called “blood-letting.” For some diseases this method may work. But, if the disease⁹ is HIV, this method will not work. It will only cause the healer to have HIV. Then, the healer may pass the virus¹³ on to someone else.
Voice 2
Other healers would use sharp instruments and try to cut their patients. This too could spread HIV to the healer. Some healers use herbal medicine. This treatment may actually make things worse. These treatments can speed up the progress of HIV in the body. And many healers believed they could cure HIV on their own. But there is no cure for HIV.
Voice 1
That is why educating traditional healers about HIV is so important. It is important for their own health and the health of the people they treat. Now many traditional healers, like Philip, send some of their patients to a doctor if they recognize signs of HIV.
Voice 2
For example, Philip once had a patient named David. Philip saw signs of HIV. So he told David that he should see a doctor. Now David takes anti-retroviral drugs, medicine for HIV. These drugs will not cure David. But they will help him live a longer, happier life. David felt good about seeing a doctor.
Voice 4
“In the past, I have had very little faith in Western medicine. I chose to depend on natural herbal treatments for my sickness. If I had not been told to go see a doctor I would have never gone.”
Voice 1
Thanks to Philip, the traditional healer, David is receiving good treatment for HIV.
Voice 2
Programs educating traditional healers about HIV are very important. These programs help to stop the spread of this deadly virus. And these programs have become more and more popular with traditional healers. Traditional healers who receive HIV training believe they have an important role. They know that they can help control the spread of HIV in their communities. That is because most community members see the healer before going to a clinic or a hospital. In South Africa four out of five people see a traditional healer. So, traditional healers are important in encouraging people to see a doctor.
Voice 1
But, why would people need to be encouraged to see a doctor? One doctor in South Africa explains.
Voice 5
“The stigma¹⁴ around HIV is very large. Most people still resist¹⁵ being tested. It is very frightening for them.”
Voice 1
You see, many people are afraid to know that they have HIV. They are afraid their families, friends, and communities may reject them. And sometimes this may happen. But, it is still important for infected people to receive treatment from a doctor. If they do not, they may die very quickly. Traditional healers can help people get over their fear. They can tell people they must see a doctor. And they can help people in their community understand the disease. Hopefully, community members will stop rejecting people who have HIV.
Voice 2
But many people still do not want to be tested by a western-trained doctor. They do not trust Western medicine even if the healer tells them the method is safe. So now hospitals and traditional healers are working together in another way. Traditional healers are learning¹⁶ how to give HIV tests. People are more willing¹⁷ to trust their traditional healers.
Voice 1
More and more traditional healers around the world are working with doctors and health workers. This relationship helps protect traditional healers. With knowledge about HIV healers can protect themselves against the virus. And this relationship is important for HIV prevention¹⁸ and control in communities.
Voice 2
This is just one important way of stopping the spread of HIV. But there are other ways. Save sex until you are married. Or, if you do have sex, protect yourself with a condom. Do not inject⁷ drugs into your body. Do not touch other peoples’ blood. Women, if you have HIV, you should not breastfeed your babies. Breast⁶ milk can pass the virus to your baby. If you believe you have HIV talk to a doctor, a health worker, or a traditional healer who has HIV training. Educate yourself about HIV and then educate other people around you. The more we work together, the better chance we have to fight the spread of HIV.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 healer   

n.医治者；治疗物；治病术士

参考例句：

• Time may be a great healer , but it's a poor beautician . 时间也许是个高明的医师，但却是个蹩脚的美容师。 来自辞典例句
• As a healer of bodies I had scant success. 作为治疗肌体的医生，我的成就甚微。 来自辞典例句

3 BBC   

abbr.（=British Broadcasting Corporation）英国广播公司

参考例句：

• She works for the BBC.她为英国广播公司工作。
• The BBC was founded in 1922.英国广播公司建于1922年。

4 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

5 fluids   

n.液体，流体( fluid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He is taking cold fluids. 他正在喝冷饮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• You can contract Aids if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone else who is infected with HIV. 如果你的体液与染有HIV者的体液接触，你就会染上艾滋病。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 breast   

n.胸部；胸怀

参考例句：

• The coat is too tight at the breast.这件衣服胸部太紧了。
• He was wearing a nameplate on his left breast.他左胸前佩带着一张名牌。

7 inject   

vt.注射，注入，注满

参考例句：

• We hope to inject new life into our work.我们希望给我们的工作注入新的活力。
• He needs to inject himself once a month.他需要每月为自己打一针。

8 injections   

n.注射( injection的名词复数 )；（液体）注入；喷入；大量资金的投入

参考例句：

• The doctor was associated in the child's mind with injections and pains. 在孩子的心里，医生总是使他联想到打针与疼痛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous. 注射维生素C显然是有利的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

10 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

11 wound   

n.创伤，伤口，伤疤，伤害，痛苦；vt.伤害，损害，使受伤；vi.打伤，伤害；wind的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• There was a gush of blood from the wound.血从伤口流出。
• The nurse gently mopped the blood from the wound.护士轻轻地抹去伤口上的血。

12 suck   

vt.吸，吮，吸入，吮吸，吸收，获得；vi.吸，吸奶；n.吸，吸入，吮吸

参考例句：

• It's good to suck in such clean fresh air for a change.换个环境，吸点清新空气，真是好极了。
• Bees suck honey from flowers.蜜蜂从花中吸吮蜜汁。

13 virus   

n.病毒，滤过性微生物，毒害，恶毒；（一个能够复制、感染其他程序或破坏操作系统的程序）

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a virus infection.他受到病毒感染。
• There is a virus going round the world.世界上流行着一种病毒性疾病。

14 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

15 resist   

vt.抵抗，反抗，抗，忍得住

参考例句：

• It is vain to resist.抵抗是没用的。
• I couldn't resist telling him the secret.我忍不住把那个秘密告诉了他。

16 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

17 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

18 prevention   

n.阻止，妨碍，预防

参考例句：

• They have begun to do the prevention of crime.他们已经开始防止犯罪行为。
• Prevention of forest fires is up to you.森林防火是你们的责任。