第2266期:Ivory Coast Launches First Malaria Vaccine Program

Health workers in Ivory Coast have launched the country’s first child vaccination program against malaria.科特迪瓦的卫生工作者启动了该国首个针对疟疾的儿童疫苗接种项目。The effort aims to reduce cases of the mosquito-spread disease, which has become one of Africa’s biggest killers.这一努力旨在减少这种由蚊子传播的疾病的病例，这种疾病已经成为非洲最大的杀手之一。Officials in the West African nation said the program is designed to cover about 250,000 children under the age of two. The three-shot vaccine was developed by Britain’s Oxford University. The World Health Organization (WHO) approved the vaccine last October.西非国家的官员表示，该计划旨在覆盖大约25万名两岁以下的儿童。这种三针疫苗由英国牛津大学开发。世界卫生组织（WHO）于去年十月批准了该疫苗。Research has shown the vaccine to be more than 75 percent effective at preventing severe disease and death during the first year. A second shot, called a booster, aims to extend the protection for at least another year.研究表明，该疫苗在第一年内预防重症和死亡的有效率超过75%。第二针称为加强针，旨在将保护期至少延长一年。India’s Serum Institute has already made 25 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. It says it plans to make at least 100 million each year. The cost is $4 per dose.印度血清研究所已经生产了2500万剂牛津疫苗。该机构表示，计划每年生产至少1亿剂。每剂的成本为4美元。More than 95 percent of the world's estimated 249 million yearly malaria cases and 608,000 deaths happen in Africa. The disease most often affects children under the age of five, as well as pregnant women.全世界每年估计有2.49亿例疟疾病例和60.8万例死亡，其中超过95%发生在非洲。该疾病最常影响五岁以下的儿童以及孕妇。Pierre Demba is Ivory Coast's health minister. He told reporters the malaria vaccine launch demonstrates the government's desire to invest in the country's children. "They are the future of our country,” he said.皮埃尔·登巴是科特迪瓦的卫生部长。他告诉记者，疟疾疫苗的启动表明政府希望投资于该国的儿童。他说：“他们是我们国家的未来。”Adrian Hill of Oxford University said in a statement that the effort “marks the start of a new era in malaria control.” He added that he hopes the shot will soon be available to all countries in Africa who want to use it.牛津大学的阿德里安·希尔在声明中表示，这一努力“标志着疟疾控制新时代的开始。”他还补充说，他希望这种疫苗很快能在所有希望使用它的非洲国家推广。Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic are among the nations that have already approved the vaccine. Other countries, including Cameroon, have begun widespread vaccination programs.加纳、尼日利亚、布基纳法索和中非共和国是已经批准该疫苗的国家之一。包括喀麦隆在内的其他国家也已开始大规模的疫苗接种项目。Alice Kanga was one of many mothers who brought children to get vaccinated. She told reporters from The Associated Press, “It’s really important for the children, for their health."爱丽丝·康加是许多带孩子来接种疫苗的母亲之一。她告诉美联社记者，“这对孩子们，对他们的健康真的很重要。”In one poor neighborhood in the city of Abidjan, many women waited with their babies for shots, the French news agency AFP reported.据法新社报道，在阿比让市的一个贫困社区，许多妇女带着她们的婴儿等待接种疫苗。One mother brought her eight-month-old daughter, Awa. Sitting on her mother's knees and held tightly between her arms, the child cried while preparing to receive her first dose. "I'm happy,” Awa's mother said with a smile. “I have seen all the mothers who have come to be vaccinated against malaria."一位母亲带着她八个月大的女儿阿瓦来接种疫苗。孩子坐在母亲的膝盖上，被紧紧抱在怀里，在准备接种第一针时哭了起来。“我很高兴，”阿瓦的母亲笑着说。“我看到了所有来接种疟疾疫苗的母亲。”Officials from the WHO have warned that even with the new vaccination campaign, other measures should continue to be taken to stop disease spread. These include spraying with chemical insect killers and using bed nets for protection.世界卫生组织的官员警告说，即使有了新的疫苗接种运动，仍应继续采取其他措施来阻止疾病传播。这些措施包括喷洒化学杀虫剂和使用蚊帐进行防护。