Bush visits Zambia, Botswana for cancer awareness

Posted on July 02, 2012

George W. Bush
Former US President

Bush visits Zambia, Botswana for cancer awareness

Former US President George W. Bush is in Zambia to promote a health initiative that focuses on cervical and breast cancer prevention and treatment.

In the city of Kabwe, Bush worked with local residents on Saturday to refurbish a clinic used to screen, diagnose and treat cervical cancer.

He later proceeded to the capital of Lusaka, where he will designate a cancer centre at a university teaching hospital and met with governmental and health care leaders.

Visit to Botswana
Mr. Bush will also visit Gaborone, Botswana, Thursday, July 5, to launch a programme that will expand women’s health initiatives. 

He will also visit two Botswana-university Pennsylvania Partnership clinics that are currently the sites of See and Treat.

The Partnership’s programme will decrease the time needed for examination, diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.

The Bush Foundation has helped galvanize support for fighting breast cancer and cervical cancer.

Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative
The trip which will end on Thursday is part of the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative spearheaded by his foundation that seeks to expand cervical and breast cancer screening, and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cancer in Africa is an emerging global concern. The continent has an acute shortage of experts such as oncologists, and lacks infrastructure and data to combat the disease, exacerbating the concern.

Mr. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush have previously visited the continent as part of his foundation's health initiative.

In a 2008 trip to Tanzania, they highlighted US initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and poverty during a trip to five African nations that included Rwanda and Benin.

CCN/PENN/Ibisaki/Cokey