高中英语 VOA常速听力09月合辑(文本)Burmese-AIDS-Patients-Face-Tr

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2024年3月16日发(作者：)

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VOA常速英语听力2012年09月合辑（文本）：Burmese-AIDS-

Patients-Face-Treatment-Obstacles

TAUNGBYONE, Burma — Burma's AIDS epidemic mostly affects marginalized groups,

such as the gay community. In a country where homosexuality remains illegal,

finding and treating gay patients is a challenge for the few health workers

devoted to their treatment. An annual religious event called a Nat festival,

however, is one time when the gay community can network - and talk to health

workers about treatment.

Burma's largest supernatural spirit festival [Nat festival] takes place annually

in a small town outside of Mandalay called Taungbyone, attracting animists,

including many members of the gay community, from all over the country for a

week of celebrations and offerings.

About one percent of Burma's population is HIV positive. Among high-risk groups,

such as men who have sex with men, health workers estimate as many as 11 percent

have HIV. “Casper” is one health worker trying to curb infections.

"I want to give you a little test," said Casper, as he takes out a banana. "This

is what we’ll use for the test.

Free testing helps awareness

Casper does counseling at a government clinic in Mandalay, and at the festival,

where they offer free testing. He himself has AIDS, and he tells up to 200

people each year they are HIV positive.

“When I first see them, I ask them if they’re ready to hear the results of the

test. If they’re ready, then I tell them," said Casper. "When I tell them, I

observe their faces carefully, seeing whether there are any negative expressions

on their faces. If I see a fallen face, then I disclose my own personal

experiences.”

Most spirit mediums at the festival, known as nat kadaws, are gay, like Ko Chit

Tae, who hails from Rangoon.

"HIV affects the gay community. It's highly likely among homosexuals having

frequent unprotected sexual intercourse with each other," he said.

Moving toward improved treatment

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While Burma's National AIDS Plan has helped stem new infections, it offers

almost no help for marginalized groups already living with HIV. Dr. Kyaw Soe,

the ministry of health's HIV officer for Mandalay Division, nevertheless

recognizes the risks from not treating these groups.

"There may be laws against homosexuality, but if we look at it from a public

health point of view, we have to help these people," Kyaw Soe.

The international medical humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders provides 70

percent of the lifesaving anti-retroviral therapy treatment in all of Burma,

also known as Myanmar. Duncan Bell is the group's Burma country director.

“I think the tragedy in Myanmar currently is there is the possibility to save

people's lives and it's not being fully taken by the international community.

There is a treatment gap of 80,000 people, approximately, in need of lifesaving

treatment," said Bell.

Because funding is low, no new patients in Burma will be able to receive the

lifesaving drugs known as anti-retrovirals until 2014. In the meantime, they

have Casper to console them.

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