FORMER United States (US) president, George Bush says women need to be saved from the swelling cases of cervical cancer which are contributing to increased deaths among the womenfolk.
Mr Bush said in Kabwe yesterday that cervical cancer should be addressed with concerted efforts in the same manner HIV/AIDS was being fought.
He was speaking to journalists during the refurbishment of Ngungu Health Centre, a joint health project of the Government of Zambia through the Ministry of Health and the George Bush Institute.
Mr Bush said he was happy to participate in the refurbishment of the health centre and was confident that the clinic would provide necessary treatment services to patients.
He would continue to assist in the fight against cervical cancer, malaria and HIV/AIDS through the on-going PEPFAR funds rendered to Zambia’s Ministry of Health in accordance with the Pink Ribbon and Red Ribbon campaign.
Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer which starts by attacking the cells on the surface of the cervix in women.
PEPFAR is the cornerstone and largest component of the US President’s Global Health Initiative with a special focus on improving the health of women, newborns and children.
The Global Health Initiative’s goal is to save lives by increasing and building upon what works and support countries to improve the health of their people.
Mr Bush said his visit to Zambia was aimed at helping to fight the increased cases of diseases such as cervical cancer and the HIV/AIDS in Zambia.
The health centre was refurbished using funds from the US government and would be opened today by Mr Bush, his wife Laura and senior Zambian Government officials.
The centre would offer a wide range of health services such as treatment of cervical cancer for women.
“We need to save a woman’s life from cervical cancer and HIV/AIDS. We have to refurbish this building for treatment of such cases because freedom is significant and people should be free from diseases,” he said.
Mr Bush arrived at Ngungu health centre around 09.10 hours with an announcement that what he was doing was love for labour to help people through PEPFAR.
The jovial looking US Statesman was in casual work attire which included a cap, a t-shirt, blue jeans trousers and snickers.
He was received by Kabwe District Commissioner, Patrick Chishala while some US security and Zambia Police Service officers kept vigil.
And Mr Chishala hailed Mr Bush for his continued support to Government saying Zambia would remain thankful to the massive support from the people of America.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director for Cervical Cancer Prevention Programme of Zambia, Groesbeck Pharham said Zambia had the highest cervical cancer cases because most women had little access to treatment.
Professor Pharham who is based at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka said over 81,000 women had been screened for cervical cancer which he said was the highest so far in Africa.
“Breast cancer is also another harmful disease which can only reduce if women have appropriate screening and treatment centres,” he said
He said the refurbished health centre would become the first combined facility to provide an opportunity for women to access treatment services for different ailments.
“We want to prolong life among women and reduce the burden of cervical cancer by providing this centre for treatment,” he said.
Zambia Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists president, Mulindi Mwanahamuntu said of the 81,000 women screened, the majority was from Lusaka.
Dr Mwanahamuntu who is a consultant at UTH and lecturer at the University of Zambia, School of Medicine said the screening programme had been extended to Katete, Kafue, Chipata and Monze Districts.
He said a training programme in Kabwe had been completed and the Ministry of Health would roll out the screening programme countrywide to combat cervical cancer.
As Mr Bush was busy with his agenda, his wife Laura accompanied by US Ambassador to Zambia, Mark Storella also had a separate visitation programme to various institutions in Kabwe.
Mrs Bush and Mr Storella visited Nkrumah Teachers Training College where she held a meeting with members of staff and urged them to work hard to impart knowledge to students.
She said education was significant and teachers had a noble task to help young people become innovative through the use of internet and physical libraries while teachers should provide the needed respect to their students.
Later, Mrs Bush proceeded to Lufutuko Community School where she was received by school director and founder Mutinta Mwananyanda.
The school is supported by the Bush Foundation and runs Grade one to seven classes with current capacity of 270 pupils.
Mrs Bush interacted with the pupils who were mostly orphans and vulnerable children and delivered a lecture with Grade three and four pupils on a book she authored.
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