加里·内尔在第二届西藏发展论坛开幕式上的致辞

原文链接：http://www.kouyi.org/field/health/909.html

 

Thank God for Iodine

Paper delivered by Garry Nehl, AM

Rome, Italy, October 22, 2009

 

感谢上帝赐予我们碘

——原澳大利亚议会副议长加里·内尔在第二届西藏发展论坛开幕式上的致辞

 

2009年10月22日 意大利罗马

 

Well may we say, "Thank God for Iodine", because without it, an enormous number of the Tibetan people were doomed to mental deficiency and a number of severe medical shortcomings such as neurological impairment, deafness, psychomotor retardation, and retarded physical growth.

我们可以说“感谢上帝赐予我们碘”。因为没有它，许多西藏人将注定智力低下，并面对诸如神经受损、耳聋、精神运动迟缓以及身体发育迟缓等一系列严重的医疗缺陷的局面。

 

Iodine Deficiency Disorders are the single most preventable mental defect in the world.

碘缺乏病是世界上最容易预防的智力缺陷疾病。

 

I was privileged to be in Lhasa on 18th May 2000 to attend the launch of an Australian aid project which has already transformed the health profile of the Tibetan people by combating Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).

我有幸于2000年5月18日到拉萨出席了澳大利亚一援助项目的启动仪式，该项目通过抗击缺碘症（IDD）已经改变了西藏人的健康状况。

 

The Chinese central government had built an iodised salt factory in Lhasa in 1998 but there were difficulties in persuading many Tibetan people to use iodised salt, as well as distribution problems.

1998年中国中央政府在拉萨已经建立了一座碘盐工厂，但在说服多数藏民食用碘盐和碘盐的销售方面还存在困难。

 

The Australian program, with the full support of the Ministry of Health Beijing and the Tibetan Autonomous Region government, involved the provision of one capsule of iodised vegetable oil a year to all women of child bearing age and to infants.

在北京卫生部和西藏自治区政府的全力支持下，澳大利亚项目中包含每年向所有育龄妇女及婴儿提供一粒碘盐植物油胶囊的规定。

 

The population of Tibet was 2.62 million people at the 2000 census. Of those, 88 per cent lived in the rural areas and 12 per cent in urban areas.

在2000年人口普查时，西藏人口为262万人。其中，88%居住在农村，12%在城市地区。

 

Some 78 per cent of all Tibetan people live in iodine deficient areas.

大约78%的西藏人生活在碘缺乏地区。

 

The impact of that was an endemic rate of goitre throughout the whole population of more than 30 per cent, and in children between the ages of seven and 14 years the average rate of goitre ranged between 50 and 66 per cent.

其结果就是甲状腺肿的地方病比例占全部人口的30%以上，其中在7-14岁之间的儿童中间，甲状腺肿患病率在50%-66%之间。

 

Today, goitre in Tibet has been defeated.

今天，西藏地区的甲状腺肿病已经被彻底制服。

 

Travelling around Tibet—as I have had the great good fortune to do on four occasions—one of the most disastrous and very obvious things one saw was the incidence of cretinism.

我有幸四次到西藏旅游。最悲伤同时也是很明显的事情之一就是看到克汀病的发生率。

 

Clinical cretinism results in an extremely high degree of mental defectiveness and impairment.

克汀病导致精神缺陷和障碍的高发病率。

 

In Australia and in parts of China other than Tibet, the rate of cretinism is one in every 10,000 live births.

在澳大利亚和除西藏外的其它中国地区，克汀病的比例是一万个新生婴儿中出现一例。

 

In Tibet, because of the iodine deficiency disorders, in some areas cretinism ranged from 2.94 per cent up to 13 per cent.

在西藏，由于缺碘症，某些地区的克汀病发生率少则2.94%，高则达13%。

 

It is almost unbelievable that one could even contemplate a population where in 13 out of every 100 live births, the child was a cretin.

这几乎是难以置信的。谁能想象一个地区的人口，每100个新生婴儿中就有13个是白痴（克汀）病患者。

 

Cretinism occurs when the mother does not have sufficient iodine in her diet at a certain point during pregnancy.

当母亲在怀孕期间的某个特定时间点上没有能够从她的日常食物中获取足够的碘的话，就会导致婴儿克汀病的发生。

 

At that stage the baby's brain stops developing.

在这个阶段，婴儿的大脑就会停止发育。

 

This is the cause of the very large number of cretins in Tibet and the average IQ level of less than 85 IQ points.

这就是为什么在西藏有很多的克汀病患者以及平均智商水平低于85的原因。

 

To put that in perspective, the average IQ level in Australia is 110 IQ points.

让大家有个概念，澳大利亚人的平均智商水平是110。

 

In other parts of China, the average IQ level is also 110 points.

在中国其它地区，平均智商水平也在110。

 

In Tibet, a huge percentage of the population is suffering from serious intellectual impairment.

在西藏，有相当多的居民患有严重的智力障碍。

 

That has an impact on the productivity and the rate of growth and development of the people and economy.

这对生产力、增长率以及人与经济的发展都有影响。

 

We know from a number of different studies done elsewhere in the world that the Benefit/Cost ratio of eliminating IDD is 30/1!

我们从世界其它地区所做的许多不同研究中得知，消除缺碘症的收益/成本比是30/1。

 

Cretinism and a low average IQ have a devastating impact on the Tibetan people – on their social development and their ability to be educated.

它对人们的社会发展以及其接受教育的能力具有破坏性的影响。

 

A country with a population that cannot be educated because of mental impairment is a country that will never reach its full potential.

因精神障碍而导致一群人不能接受教育的国家，将是一个永远不能发挥其全部潜力的国家。

 

Today, cretinism in Tibet has been defeated and Tibet is on the road to reaching its full potential.

今天，西藏地区的克汀病已经被战胜。

 

The Australian aid program which achieved this major success was devised by Professor Creswell Eastman, the then Director of the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research in Sydney.

 

取得这个重要成就的澳大利亚援助项目是由时任悉尼临床病理学与医学研究学院院长克雷斯韦尔·伊士曼教授负责的。

 

He was previously involved in the fight against IDD in China from 1985 to 1992.

早在1985年到1992年，他就参与了中国对抗缺碘症的工作。

 

Professor Eastman was instrumental in that program and brought it to a successful conclusion.

伊士曼教授在该项目中发挥了作用，并使它取得圆满成功。

 

The situation in Tibet was different, because the average altitude is 4,000 metres and 88 per cent of the population lived in extremely rugged rural and very remote areas.

西藏的环境不同。它的平均海拔4000米，88%的人口居住在相当艰苦的农村和非常偏僻的地区。

 

The provision of iodised salt, which would be the simple answer, was difficult to implement.

即使是非常简单的碘盐供给也难以实施。

 

The major reasons for low usage of iodized salt are:

碘盐食用率低的主要原因是：

 

(1) The traditional trade model in which Tibetan people consume salt provided by private merchants by exchanging salt for food or other commodities such as meat, crops or fur. They don't use cash to trade. The edible salt comes from salt lakes containing no iodine;

传统的商业模式。在西藏，人们食用的盐是用食物、肉、农作物或毛皮等日用品通过个体商贩换取的。可食用的盐都是来自不含碘的那些盐湖；

 

(2) Poverty and lower economic circumstances in some isolated communities;

一些偏僻社区中的贫穷、落后的经济环境；

 

(3) A higher price for iodized salt because of the costs of transportation; and,

(4) The absence of a salt trade network in most rural areas.

由于运输成本导致加碘盐的高价格；以及在大部分农村地区没有贩盐的贸易网络。

 

In Tibet, iodised salt is produced in the Lhasa iodised salt factory which is there because the Chinese Government went out of its way to support the program.

在西藏，加碘盐是由拉萨碘盐工厂负责生产的。这个工厂是中国政府为支持我们的项目而在那里建造的。

 

The iodised oil program, devised and funded by Australia, was a co-operation between the World Health Organisation, which sponsored the project, UNICEF, the Chinese Ministry of Health in Beijing and the Tibetan health department—then directed by Dr Tu Deng, an enthusiastic man who was heavily involved in implementing the iodised oil program.

由澳大利亚设计并资助的碘盐油项目是世界卫生组织、联合国儿童基金会、北京的中国卫生部以及西藏卫生厅的合作项目。时任西藏卫生厅长、热情的土登博士全身心地参与了这个碘盐油项目的实施。

 

A recent analysis of IDD in Tibet indicates that the iodized oil program is still one of the main strategies for correction of iodine deficiency there, due to the difficulties involved with the roll out of the iodized salt program.

最近西藏地区缺碘症的分析表明由于碘盐项目的推广仍有困难，碘盐油项目依然是改善当地人碘缺乏症的主要战略之一。

 

During the implementation of the IDD Project supported by AusAID/WHO (1999-2004) iodized oil capsules were given to women of childbearing age and children under two years of age.

在由澳大利亚援助及世界卫生组织支持的缺碘症计划实施期间（1999年-2004年），向育龄妇女及两岁以下的孩子提供碘盐油胶囊。

 

This important intervention played a significant role in preventing mental retardation from iodine deficiency and the Tibetan Government has continued to support this program after 2004.

这个重要的干预措施在预防因缺碘而导致的精神发育迟滞方面起到了重要作用。2004年后，西藏政府一直继续支持这个项目。

 

No new young cretin has been found during or since the initiation of the Emergency Response Plan in 2007.

自从2007年紧急反应计划实施以来，还没有发现新的年轻白痴病患者。

 

The estimated current coverage rate of iodized salt is approximately 53%, i.e., 1.45 million of the 2.7 million Tibetan people are now consuming qualified iodized salt.

据评估，目前碘盐的人口覆盖率大约为53%，即：270万西藏人中的145万在食用合格的碘盐。

 

The current strategy by the TAR local government involves:

西藏自治区当地政府目前采取的战略包括：

 

(1) The Tibetan government providing about 2 million RMB annually as a subsidy for the iodized salt program since 2007.

自从2007年以来，自治区政府每年提供两百万人民币作为碘盐项目的补贴。

 

(2) They continue to carry out the iodized oil distribution program, but only to women of childbearing age, since all the pupils are living in schools with an iodized salt supply. The Central Government has allocated a special budget to education in Tibet, All expenses, including education, accommodation and any other fees are covered by this budget. Hence there is no iodine deficiency in school children as their diet includes iodised salt.

他们继续完成碘盐油发放项目，但只给育龄妇女，因为所有住校小学生都已享受碘盐的供给。中央政府已经为西藏教育拨出了特别预算，该预算支付住校小学生的所有开支，包括学费、食宿及其它费用等。由于在校学生日常食物中已经包含碘盐，因此已没有缺碘问题。

 

(3) The China National Salt Corporation (CNSC) is now establishing the salt trade network with four distribution centres for the iodized salt program, supported by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

在国家发改委的支持下，中国盐业总公司正在为碘盐计划搭建一个由四个配送中心组成的盐贸易网络。

 

(4) CNSC has asked the salt companies of Xinjiang, Sichuan, Yunnan and Qinghai to supply iodized salt going to Tibet from different directions at a cheap price. These commitments must be translated into sustainable actions if IDD is to be eliminated from the TAR. This is the challenge for all involved.

中国盐业总公司已经要求新疆、四川、云南和青海的盐业公司从不同地区为西藏供应价廉的碘盐。如果要将碘缺乏症彻底从西藏自治区消除，这些承诺必须转化成可持续的行动。这对所有参与者来说都是一种挑战。

 

I am indebted to Dr Mu Li, of the University of Sydney, who synthesized communications from MOH and the International Council for the Control of IDD (ICCIDD) Regional Coordinator's report to the ICCIDD Board. She also worked very closely with Professor Eastman in the development and management of the iodised oil program.

我要感谢悉尼大学的李慕（音译）博士，她负责将卫生部及缺症控制国际协会区域协调员的报告综合处理后提交给国际协会。她还在碘盐油项目的发展与管理中与伊士曼教授紧密合作。

 

The future development of Tibet relies on a continuing health program which provides enough iodine to a majority of the Tibetan people so that they can have an intelligent, productive and healthy population.

西藏今后的发展依赖于一个能为大多数西藏人提供充足碘盐的可持续健康计划，这样西藏人才能真正拥有智慧、才干和健康。

 

Finally, we need to acknowledge the important Tibetan livestock industry as, traditionally, the major factor in its economy.

最后，我们要指出，西藏的畜牧业一直是该地区的主要经济支柱。

 

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has conducted a survey of the mineral status of livestock in the TAR Region of China and this is published in ACIAR Working Paper No. 59.

澳大利亚国际农业研究中心已经进行了一次中国西藏自治区的畜牧业状况的调查，并发表在澳大利亚国际农业研究中心工作报告第59期上。

 

The efficient and productive management of yaks, cattle, sheep, goats and horses is a vital factor in the economic productivity and development of Tibet's economy.

对牦牛、牛、绵羊、山羊和马进行有效、高产的管理是提高经济生产力及发展西藏经济的重要环节。

 

It is essential to be aware of the need for, and the availability of trace elements and minerals, such as cobalt and iodine, for livestock to ensure optimum productivity.

重要的是必须认识到诸如钴和碘元素的微量元素和矿物质对确保牲畜生长的必要性以及有效性。

 

Healthy animals create a healthy economy and a healthy Tibet.

健康的动物营造一个健康的经济和一个健康的西藏。

 

Healthy Tibetans without IDD, without cretinism, and with a higher IQ, will ensure that Tibet reaches its full economic and social potential.

没有了缺碘症、没有了克汀病；健康、高智商的西藏人民定能使西藏地区的经济和社会潜能得到全部地发挥。