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Bush Urges Renewed Fight Against Deadly Diseases in Africa Bush Urges Renewed Fight Against Deadly Diseases in Africa
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Former President George W. Bush made a rare return to the nation’s capital on Wednesday to rally world leaders behind a public health campaign to conquer killer diseases in Africa and to forecast what he called “the beginning of the end of AIDS.”WASHINGTON — Former President George W. Bush made a rare return to the nation’s capital on Wednesday to rally world leaders behind a public health campaign to conquer killer diseases in Africa and to forecast what he called “the beginning of the end of AIDS.”
Mr. Bush, who has made fighting AIDS in Africa one of his biggest priorities, flew to Washington to participate in a program connected to the Africa summit sponsored by his successor, President Obama. Mr. Bush’s public policy institute teamed up with Michelle Obama and the State Department to host a daylong forum on education and health with the spouses of African leaders.Mr. Bush, who has made fighting AIDS in Africa one of his biggest priorities, flew to Washington to participate in a program connected to the Africa summit sponsored by his successor, President Obama. Mr. Bush’s public policy institute teamed up with Michelle Obama and the State Department to host a daylong forum on education and health with the spouses of African leaders.
The former president used the occasion to promote a new chapter in the battle with AIDS, saying at this stage the effort can be focused with better data, better treatment options and better prevention approaches to “reach and help the highest-risk regions and groups.” He also urged African leaders to avoid discrimination that makes public health efforts harder, although he did not specifically mention laws like the one overturned by a court in Uganda last week criminalizing homosexuality.The former president used the occasion to promote a new chapter in the battle with AIDS, saying at this stage the effort can be focused with better data, better treatment options and better prevention approaches to “reach and help the highest-risk regions and groups.” He also urged African leaders to avoid discrimination that makes public health efforts harder, although he did not specifically mention laws like the one overturned by a court in Uganda last week criminalizing homosexuality.
“Applied with clear goals and accountability, this saturation approach presents an amazing prospect – the beginning of the end of AIDS,” Mr. Bush said in an advance text of his Wednesday morning speech at the forum, held at the Kennedy Center. “But it also requires something from the rest of us. It is impossible to direct help where it is most needed when any group is targeted for legal discrimination and stigma. Compassion and tolerance are also good medicines.” “Applied with clear goals and accountability, this saturation approach presents an amazing opportunity – the beginning of the end of AIDS,” Mr. Bush told the gathering, held at the Kennedy Center. “It also requires something from the rest of us. It is impossible to direct help where it is needed most when any group is targeted for legal discrimination and stigma. Compassion and tolerance are important medicines.”
Mr. Bush returned to Washington at a time when many issues associated with his time in office are being debated here, including how to combat Islamic insurgents in Iraq, what to do about Russian aggression in Europe and whether to release a Senate report on what Mr. Obama calls the torture of terrorism suspects under the last administration. Mr. Bush has come under renewed criticism for invading Iraq and for authorizing the controversial interrogation techniques, but he offered no comments on any of those issues in his prepared remarks.Mr. Bush returned to Washington at a time when many issues associated with his time in office are being debated here, including how to combat Islamic insurgents in Iraq, what to do about Russian aggression in Europe and whether to release a Senate report on what Mr. Obama calls the torture of terrorism suspects under the last administration. Mr. Bush has come under renewed criticism for invading Iraq and for authorizing the controversial interrogation techniques, but he offered no comments on any of those issues in his prepared remarks.
Instead, as he generally has since leaving office, he stayed out of the current debates. He noted lightly that as a retired president, “I have a little more time for golf, biking and painting than I used to” and he joked about recent trips to Africa when he and his wife, Laura Bush, helped refurbish health clinics in Zambia. Instead, as he generally has since leaving office, he stayed out of the current debates. He noted lightly that as a retired president, “I got a little more time on my hands these days – surprising to some, painting.” And he joked about recent trips to Africa when he and his wife, Laura Bush, helped refurbish health clinics in Zambia.
“I was in charge of painting,” he said in the advance text. “Laura put herself in charge of going over the spots I missed. It’s fair to say she had her work cut out for her. But in my defense, I was studying the impressionist movement at the time.” “I was in charge of the painting,” he said. “She was in charge of going over the spots I missed. She had a lot of work. But in my defense, I was studying the impressionist movement.”
While Mr. Bush’s presidency is remembered mostly for his pursuit of terrorists after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, since leaving office he has spent more time on his public health legacy.While Mr. Bush’s presidency is remembered mostly for his pursuit of terrorists after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, since leaving office he has spent more time on his public health legacy.
In the White House, Mr. Bush created the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar, the largest single global response to a disease, which is credited with helping to save millions of lives in Africa. From his current home in Dallas, Mr. Bush has focused on fighting cervical cancer and breast cancer, which together kill more women in Africa than any other disease.In the White House, Mr. Bush created the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar, the largest single global response to a disease, which is credited with helping to save millions of lives in Africa. From his current home in Dallas, Mr. Bush has focused on fighting cervical cancer and breast cancer, which together kill more women in Africa than any other disease.
He announced on Wednesday that the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon project he founded in partnership with Pepfar, Susan G. Komen and the United Nations AIDS program will expand to two more countries, Namibia and Ethiopia. The Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon project he founded in partnership with Pepfar, Susan G. Komen and the United Nations AIDS program has screened more than 100,000 women in Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania. Mr. Bush announced that it will now expand to two more countries, Namibia and Ethiopia.
Mr. Bush said ignorance, misinformation and stigmatization were obstacles to public health that should be overcome, mentioning specifically what he called “false rumors about the HPV vaccine,” intended to guard against cervical cancer.Mr. Bush said ignorance, misinformation and stigmatization were obstacles to public health that should be overcome, mentioning specifically what he called “false rumors about the HPV vaccine,” intended to guard against cervical cancer.
Some conservatives, like Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, have questioned the vaccine’s safety, but doctors have rejected such claims. Mr. Bush praised Zambia’s first lady for fighting those “rumors,” adding that was “something that needs to be done in America as well.” Some conservatives, like Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, have questioned the vaccine’s safety, but doctors have rejected such claims. Mr. Bush praised Zambia’s first lady for fighting those “rumors,” adding that was “something that needs to be done here in America as well.”
“Too many women with HIV/AIDS and with breast cancer and cervical cancer are really dying from stigma,” he added in the prepared remarks. “Stigma seems like a high, unbreachable wall. But it is really as fragile as glass. It can broken by honesty, compassion and courage. And for the sake of all the mothers, daughters and granddaughters, we must make this work our own.” “People die from stigma,” he added. “While stigma may seem like a high, unbreachable wall, you’ve got to realize it’s made of glass. It can be broken.”