Help Africa Fight Maternal Deaths, Zambia's Sata Tells Bush
Zambian President Michael Sata on Friday told former U.S. president George W. Bush that the West should help fight the scourge of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.
"We have in Zambia a generous budget but we can't meet all that we require in maternal health," Sata said.
Bush is in Zambia on the second stop of a three-nation trip aimed at promoting efforts to fight diseases like cancer, AIDS and malaria. He arrived in Tanzania and continues to Ethiopia.
He said he was impressed with Sata's commitment towards the fight against cervical cancer.
"We would not have launched the cervical cancer campaign without the commitment of the government," said Bush, who is accompanied by his wife Laura.
The couple launched a campaign against cervical and breast cancer, are the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa.
The launch was held in George township, one of the country's impoverished slums.
"What is needed is support from the developed world. It should be our priority to save human life in all places," said Bush.
"There are still a lot of people who suffer. We have just began what we need to do," he added.
Amnesty International had earlier urged the three nations to arrest Bush for violating international torture laws -- a call that Sata did not mention.
The group claims Bush authorized the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and "waterboarding" on detainees held in secret by the Central Intelligence Agency between 2002 and 2009.
Source: Agence France Presse
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://mobile.naharnet.com/stories/en/22138 |