African Leaders Must Boost AIDS Programs: Bush

Former US President George W. Bush on Sunday called for African leaders to ensure that anti-AIDS programs on the continent are carried out successfully.

Bush made his remarks at the opening of the 16th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, which continues through Dec. 8 in Addis Ababa.

African leaders cannot rely only on foreign donors, such as the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, to fight the epidemic, Bush said: “PEPFAR also relies on African leaders to take responsibility for the success of programs. The developing world must set priorities, and there is no greater priority than saving a human life.”

Bush also called on the United States to maintain its commitment to AIDS programs in developing nations, saying, “Isolationism is always shortsighted.”

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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