India’s vaccine drive progresses amid obstacles

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 - 01:00

Print Edition?World

Vaccination against Covid was always going to be a massive challenge for India - a country of some 1.4 billion people.

對于印度這樣一個擁有約14億人口的國家來說，預防新冠的疫苗接種一直是一個巨大的挑戰(zhàn)。

The programme had a smooth enough start. India began giving jabs on 16 January, first to frontline workers and those above the age of 60. But by May, when the drive was thrown open to everyone above the age of 18, the country was severely low on stocks - even as demand surged in the wake of a devastating second wave.

這個疫苗運動有一個相當順利的開始。印度于1月16日開始接種疫苗，首先為一線人士和60歲以上的人接種。但到今年5月，當這項計劃向18歲以上的所有人開放時，該國的庫存嚴重不足——盡管在毀滅性的第二波浪潮過后，需求飆升。

The supply shortage, however, has not been the only challenge. India's effort to vaccinate its people has had varying success across regions because of other issues, from planning to infrastructure to misinformation.

然而，供應短缺并不是唯一的挑戰(zhàn)。由于規(guī)劃、基礎設施和錯誤信息等其他問題，印度為人民接種疫苗的努力在不同地區(qū)取得了不同程度的成功。

Analysis by the BBC of 729 districts for which data was available shows wide disparities in per capita vaccination rates - some districts have given jabs to half their population, while others have vaccinated as little as 3%. Some urban and sparsely populated districts have fared better than other large or rural ones.

BBC對可獲得數(shù)據(jù)的729個區(qū)進行的分析顯示，人均接種率存在很大差異——一些區(qū)為一半人口接種了疫苗，而另一些區(qū)僅為3%的人口接種了疫苗。一些城市和人口稀少的地區(qū)比其他大城市和農村地區(qū)的情況要好。

Here's a snapshot of what went right - and wrong - in four districts. Two of them - Mahe and South Delhi - are near the top of the table, while the other two - South Salmara Mankachar and Tiruvannamalai - have struggled to vaccinate a sizeable number of their people.

以下是在四個地區(qū)走向正確和錯誤的簡要描述。其中兩個地區(qū)—馬埃和南德里—接近榜單頂端，而另外兩個地區(qū)—南薩爾馬拉曼卡查爾和特魯瓦納瑪萊—一直在努力為更多人口接種疫苗。

When Shivraj Meena took charge of Mahe, a tiny district on India's south-western coast, in February this year, he had his work cut out.

今年2月，當希夫拉吉·米納(Shivraj Meena)開始掌管印度西南海岸的一個小地區(qū)馬厄(Mahe)時，他面臨著艱巨的任務。

The district's population - about 31,000 people - had to be vaccinated quickly because the second wave appeared to be looming already. But Mr Meena found that people felt unsure about the safety of the vaccines, and were also reluctant to come to the vaccination centres, fearing crowding.At just nine sq km (3.5 sq miles), India's smallest district has limited health infrastructure. So Mr Meena drew up a plan.

該地區(qū)的人口約3.1萬人，而且不得不迅速接種疫苗，因為第二波流感似乎已經來臨。但是Meena先生發(fā)現(xiàn)人們對疫苗的安全性感到不確定，而且也不愿意去接種中心，擔心擁擠。這個印度最小的地區(qū)只有9平方公里(3.5平方英里)，醫(yī)療基礎設施有限。因此，米納草擬了一個計劃。

"I called political leaders, religious leaders and community elders for meetings where I explained the?efficacy?of vaccines and pointed out that frontline workers had seen negligible adverse reactions after taking their shots," he said.

我召集政治領袖、宗教領袖和社區(qū)長者開會，向他們解釋疫苗的功效，并指出一線工作者在注射疫苗后看到的不良反應微不足道。”

Efficacy?n. /?ef?k?si/ （尤指藥物或治療方法的）功效，效驗，效力

negligible ?adj. /?neɡl?d??bl/ 微不足道的；不重要的；不值一提的?? The cost was negligible. 費用不大，無關緊要。

adverse ?adj./??dv??s/ ?/?d?v??s/ ?不利的；有害的；反面的?? adverse change/circumstances/weather conditions 不利的變動；逆境；惡劣天氣

He then created 30 teams - made up of health workers, nurses and teachers - which went door to door,?counselling and enrolling people, and issuing appointment tokens for vaccination.

然后，他創(chuàng)建了30個由衛(wèi)生工作者、護士和教師組成的團隊，他們挨家挨戶地上門咨詢和登記，并發(fā)放疫苗接種預約令牌。

counsel /?ka?nsl/ ?動詞1.提供專業(yè)咨詢??Therapists were brought in to counsel the bereaved. 請了治療專家來勸慰死者的親屬。2.建議，勸告（做某事）??Most experts counsel caution in such cases. 大多數(shù)專家建議在這樣的情況下要謹慎從事。名詞1.（尤指年長者或專家的）勸告，忠告，建議??Listen to the counsel of your elders. 要聽從長輩的忠告。 2.( law 律 ) 法律顧問；律師?the counsel for the defence/prosecution 被告╱原告的律師??defence/prosecuting counsel 被告╱原告的律師

The strategy worked. More than 53% of Mahe's population has been given the first dose so far, making it the top-performing district in the vaccine drive.

這個策略見效了。到目前為止，超過53%的馬埃人已經注射了第一劑疫苗，使其成為疫苗運動中表現(xiàn)最好的地區(qū)。

"You just need to identify the problem and the solution can be found accordingly," Mr Meena said.

米納先生說道：“你只需要發(fā)現(xiàn)問題，然后就可以根據(jù)問題找到方法。”

'We are scared and suspicious'

“我們很擔心而且有疑惑”

South Salmara Mankachar, a remote district in India's north-eastern state of Assam, is the worst performer so far.

印度東北部阿薩姆邦的偏遠地區(qū)南薩爾馬拉曼卡查爾是迄今為止表現(xiàn)最差的地區(qū)。

In these?agrarian, largely Muslim villages bordering Bangladesh, officials have been able to vaccinate only 3% of the half a million people living here. "I have heard that people die after getting vaccinated," said Monowar Islam Mondal, a farmer who has not got his shot yet. He alleges a conspiracy against the Muslim community.

在這些與孟加拉國接壤的以穆斯林為主的農業(yè)村莊，官員只能為這里50萬人中的3%接種疫苗?！拔衣犝f有人在接種疫苗后死亡，”尚未接種疫苗的農民Monowar Islam Mondal說。他聲稱這是針對穆斯林社區(qū)的陰謀。

Agrarian??adj. /??ɡre?ri?n/ (術語) 農業(yè)的；土地的；耕地的

Bangladesh /?b??ɡl??de?/?n. 孟加拉國（亞洲國家）

Recent state elections saw the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win after a divisive?campaign that targeted unauthorised migrants from across the border, many of them Muslim.

最近的邦選舉中，右翼政黨印度人民黨(BJP)在一場針對越境非法移民(其中許多是穆斯林)的分裂運動后獲勝。

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's claim that the BJP doesn't need Muslim votes was widely quoted in the media. The BJP does not like the Muslim minority and says that it will drive us out of Assam. Then why are they being generous and giving us free vaccines now? We are scared and suspicious, so we do not want these vaccines," Mr Mondal said.

印度首席部長希曼塔·比斯瓦·薩爾馬(Himanta Biswa Sarma)聲稱印度人民黨不需要穆斯林選票，這一言論被媒體廣泛引用。印度人民黨不喜歡穆斯林少數(shù)派，聲稱會把我們趕出阿薩姆邦。那他們?yōu)槭裁船F(xiàn)在慷慨地給我們免費疫苗?我們感到害怕和懷疑，所以我們不想要這些疫苗，”蒙達爾表示。

It's a sentiment?echoed?by many others in the district. But officials said it was not the reason for low vaccine rates.Deputy Commissioner Hiwre Nisarg GauTam said the low turnout is a result of the district's?topography?- people are unwilling to make the long trek from their homes to the vaccine centres.

這個地區(qū)的許多人也表達了同樣的觀點。但官員們表示，這不是疫苗接種率低的原因。副專員Hiwre Nisarg GauTam說，接種率低是該地區(qū)的地形造成的，人們不愿意從家里長途跋涉到疫苗接種中心。

echo /?ek??/?vt. 反射；重復；vi. 隨聲附和；發(fā)出回聲；n. 回音；效仿

topography ?n. /t??p?ɡr?fi/ (術語) 地形；地貌；地勢；地形學

Misinformation has derailed the drive. Another state that recently held an election and has shown poor levels of vaccination is Tamil Nadu, in the south.

錯誤信息使疫苗運動偏離了方向。南部的泰米爾納德邦最近舉行了選舉，疫苗接種水平也很低。

derail ?v. /d??re?l/ (火車)（使）脫軌，出軌? The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火車脫軌栽進了河里。

Most districts here have given the jab to just 4-6% of their populations.Tiruvannamalai, one of the largest districts, is also among the poorest."?There was a lack of focus on coronavirus and vaccination during the election," said Saravanan, who maintains and repairs television cables.His job takes him inside people's homes, but he hasn't been vaccinated yet. He said he never felt the urgency to take the shot."They speak about it now but they were silent then, as if corona was not there during the election."

這里的大多數(shù)地區(qū)只給4% -6%的人口注射了疫苗。Tiruvannamalai是最大的地區(qū)之一，也是最貧窮的地區(qū)之一。負責維護和維修電視電纜的薩拉瓦南說:“選舉期間，人們缺乏對冠狀病毒和疫苗接種的關注。”他的工作是進入人們的家中，但他還沒有接種疫苗。他說他從來沒感受到接種疫苗的緊迫性?！八麄儸F(xiàn)在談論這件事，但那時他們沉默了，就好像選舉期間沒有新冠疫情一樣。”

Others cite fear of vaccines - a popular actor had died within days of taking his jab.

其他人則認為是對疫苗的恐懼——一位受歡迎的演員在注射疫苗幾天后死亡。

"There was a vaccination camp in the village. But people are afraid as actor Vivek died soon after taking his vaccine. I will take the vaccine, anyway. But as I am not moving around anywhere and staying at home, I thought I can take it later," said a farmer. Dr.Ajitha, deputy director of health services in the district, pointed to its huge size and population to explain the low rate of vaccination."We were struggling with a low footfall even before elections and vaccine hesitancy amongst the largely rural population has been a huge challenge." (BBC)

“村里有一個疫苗接種營地。但是人們很害怕，因為演員維維克在注射疫苗后不久就去世了。無論如何我都要接種疫苗但由于我不會四處走動，一直呆在家里，我想我可以晚點再注射?！币晃晦r民說道。?ajitha博士是該地區(qū)衛(wèi)生服務的副主任，他指出其龐大區(qū)域面積和人口數(shù)量是疫苗接種率低的原因。“甚至在選舉之前，我們就在努力應對低接種人數(shù)，而在農村人口中，對接種疫苗的猶豫不決一直是一個巨大的挑戰(zhàn)?！?/span>

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原文鏈接：http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/06/16/world/251701/india%E2%80%99s-vaccine-drive-progresses-amid-obstacles