VOA常速英语2008年-Guinea Worm Eradication Target Set for 2009

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
04 April 2008

The global campaign to eradicate¹ the debilitating² Guinea worm disease continues, with hopes for eliminating it by 2009. Four countries ended transmission of the disease in 2007. Gilbert da Costa attended a ceremony in Abuja to honor the world's latest Guinea worm-free countries and filed this report for VOA.

 

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who is leading the campaign, says the 22-year international Guinea worm eradication³ effort has recorded phenomenal success with fewer than 10,000 cases reported in 2007 -  the least number of cases ever reported.

 

Attention is now focused on Sudan and Ghana, considered the most endemic countries. Sudan reported more than 5,000 cases of Guinea worm in 2007, the highest by any country. But this also represents a 50 percent reduction from the previous year.

 

Sudanese Health Minister Tabita Shokai says Sudan is confident of meeting the 2009 Guinea worm eradication deadline.

 

"A lot has been done in the eradication of Guinea worm from the Sudan. It has been eradicated⁴ completely in the north," said Shokai. "South Sudan has done very well as well, after the comprehensive peace agreement and there are so many volunteers trained and people are all aware about Guinea worm, how to eradicate it, how to access clean water. And I believe we are very much committed to meet the target of 2009, to be cleared of Guinea worm."

 

Guinea worm disease is a parasitic⁵ infection that affects people living in remote poverty-stricken communities. The disease is contracted when people consume water contaminated with infected larvae⁶. After a year, a one-meter-long worm emerges from the body through a painful blister⁷ it creates in the skin.

Four countries, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo reported an end to the parasitic infection in 2007, bringing to 15 the number of countries that have completed eradication.

Nigeria, once the most Guinea worm-endemic in the world with more than 650,000 cases in 1989, had only 73 cases in 2007.

 

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter paid tribute to the commitment and hard work of those whose efforts made the historic success possible. He said there were many that said it would never be done, but through strong international partnerships⁸ and support, Guinea worm eradication is on the horizon.

1 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

2 debilitating   

a.使衰弱的

参考例句：

• The debilitating disease made him too weak to work. 这个令他衰弱的病，使他弱到没有办法工作。
• You may soon leave one debilitating condition or relationship forever. 你即将永远地和这段霉运说拜拜了。

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 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。

5 parasitic   

adj.寄生的

参考例句：

• Will global warming mean the spread of tropical parasitic diseases?全球变暖是否意味着热带寄生虫病会蔓延呢？
• By definition,this way of life is parasitic.从其含义来说，这是种寄生虫的生活方式。

6 larvae   

n.幼虫

参考例句：

• Larvae are parasitic on sheep.幼虫寄生在绵羊的身上。
• The larvae prey upon small aphids.这种幼虫以小蚜虫为食。

7 blister   

n.水疱；(油漆等的)气泡；v.(使)起泡

参考例句：

• I got a huge blister on my foot and I couldn't run any farther.我脚上长了一个大水泡，没办法继续跑。
• I have a blister on my heel because my shoe is too tight.鞋子太紧了，我脚后跟起了个泡。

8 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句