Mobile App Helps Diabetics During Ramadan in Senegal

手机应用程序帮助塞内加尔糖尿病患者渡过斋月期

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink anything all day. This is called fasting. People with diabetes can become sick when they fast. Now some African diabetes patients can receive help with their health before, during and after Ramadan.

在回教斋月期间，回教徒一整天是不应该吃或者喝任何东西的，这叫做斋戒。当斋戒时，患有糖尿病的人会变得很虚弱。现在一些非洲的糖尿病患者在斋月前后以及斋月期间都可以得到有助于他们健康的帮助。

Senegal has become the first French speaking country in Africa to use a wireless phone application, called mRamadan. The new application or app sends free text messages everyday with fasting advice for diabetics.

塞内加尔已经成为非洲首个讲法语的国家中运用名称为mRamadan手机移动程序的国家。这项新应用每天都会为糖尿病患者发送关于斋戒建议的免费短信。

The mRamadan app is part of the Be He@lthy Be Mobile campaign, from the World Health Organization and the International Telecommunication Union. The campaign goal is to reduce the large number of emergency hospital visits during Ramadan.

这款名为mRamadan的应用程序是世界卫生组织和国际电信联盟联合推行的“Be He@lthy Be Mobile”活动的一部分。该活动的目的是为了减少斋月期间医院的急诊人数。

Diabetics who are testing the new app say it has been quite helpful. Like 26 year-old Marie Gadio, she found out she had diabetes when she was 13. She says living with diabetes during Ramadan is not easy.

试用了这款手机应用的糖尿病患者称，这款应用的帮助很大。例如26岁的Marie Gadio，当她13岁时，就被发现患有糖尿病。她称在斋月期间，糖尿病患者很不容易渡过。

"Certain diabetics just fast as they want, without knowing anything, but now our technology is developing and people can take advice from this program," Gadio said.

Gadio称：“某些糖尿病患者在不知情的情况下还照常禁食。但现在我们的科技在发展，人们可以从这款应用中获得建议。”

There are exceptions to the rule about fasting during Ramadan. The very young and old do not have to fast. Pregnant women and people with poor health often are permitted to eat during the day. But many diabetics say they do try to fast during Ramadan. They also sometimes stop taking insulin, a medicine used to control blood sugar levels.

当然关于斋月期禁食也有例外，年龄很小的孩子和年龄很大的老人不需要禁食。孕妇和身体不适的人允许白天吃一些东西。但许多糖尿病患者表示，他们确实试图在斋月期间禁食，他们有时还停止服用控制血糖水平的胰岛素。

Dr. Maimouna Ndour Mbaye studies diabetes at the Marc Sankale National Diabetes Center in Senegal's capital, Dakar. She says diabetics face a number of problems while fasting.

迈穆娜·内杜尔·姆巴耶博士在塞内加尔首都达喀尔的Marc Sankale国家糖尿病中心从事糖尿病研究，她称在斋月期间糖尿病患者面临很多问题。

"The first risk is hypoglycemia, which can be very harmful for the brain, in particular. There is also a risk of hyperglycemia, because when they fast, their diabetes is less controlled. They cannot take their medication on a regular basis. And this is a risk..." Mbaye said.

姆巴耶说：“首要风险就是血糖过低，血糖过低尤其对大脑的损伤很严重。还有相对的就是血糖过高，因为在他们禁食时，他们的糖尿病是缺乏控制的。他们不能定期按时吃药，这也是一种风险……”

Dr. Mbaye says diabetics are also at an increased risk of dehydration, which is sickness from a lack of water. She says that all diabetics should talk with their doctors before deciding if it is safe not to eat and drink.

姆巴耶博士称，糖尿病患者脱水的风险也在增加。脱水就是指人身体因为大量缺水而生病。并称，糖尿病患者在决定不吃不喝之前应该与他们的医生交谈，来确定这样是否安全。

Some of the mRamadan messages remind people to drink at least one liter of water each morning before beginning the fast. Other messages tell how to make changes to medication use. The advice also advises diabetics not to eat too many sugary foods during the breaks in fasting.

这款mRamadan应用程序的一些短信会提醒人们每天早晨开始禁食前要至少喝一升水的水。还有一些其它短信会告诉病人如何调整药物的服用。这些短信还建议糖尿病患者在禁食期间不要食用太多含糖的食物。

And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. I'm Jonathan Evans.

这就是今天的美国之音慢速英语科技报道，我是乔纳森·埃文斯。

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink anything all day. This is called fasting. People with diabetes can become sick when they fast. Now some African diabetes patients can receive help with their health before, during and after Ramadan.

Senegal has become the first French speaking country in Africa to use a wireless phone application, called mRamadan. The new application or app sends free text messages everyday with fasting advice for diabetics.

The mRamadan app is part of the Be He@lthy Be Mobile campaign, from the World Health Organization and the International Telecommunication Union. The campaign goal is to reduce the large number of emergency hospital visits during Ramadan.

Diabetics who are testing the new app say it has been quite helpful. Like 26 year-old Marie Gadio, she found out she had diabetes when she was 13. She says living with diabetes during Ramadan is not easy.

"Certain diabetics just fast as they want, without knowing anything, but now our technology is developing and people can take advice from this program," Gadio said.

There are exceptions to the rule about fasting during Ramadan. The very young and old do not have to fast. Pregnant women and people with poor health often are permitted to eat during the day. But many diabetics say they do try to fast during Ramadan. They also sometimes stop taking insulin, a medicine used to control blood sugar levels.

Dr. Maimouna Ndour Mbaye studies diabetes at the Marc Sankale National Diabetes Center in Senegal's capital, Dakar. She says diabetics face a number of problems while fasting.

"The first risk is hypoglycemia, which can be very harmful for the brain, in particular. There is also a risk of hyperglycemia, because when they fast, their diabetes is less controlled. They cannot take their medication on a regular basis. And this is a risk..." Mbaye said.

Dr. Mbaye says diabetics are also at an increased risk of dehydration, which is sickness from a lack of water. She says that all diabetics should talk with their doctors before deciding if it is safe not to eat and drink.

Some of the mRamadan messages remind people to drink at least one liter of water each morning before beginning the fast. Other messages tell how to make changes to medication use. The advice also advises diabetics not to eat too many sugary foods during the breaks in fasting.

And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. I'm Jonathan Evans.