Bush praises govt for strides in fighting cervical cancer

–Former United States President, George Bush, has praised the government for being proactive in fighting cervical cancer in the country.

And former U S First Lady, Laura Bush, has encouraged women in the country to go for early cervical cancer screening.

Speaking to journalists today at Mosi-O-Tunya Clinic, Mr Bush said the Patriotic Front’s (PF) positive response to the fight against cervical cancer was commendable.

He said it was also encouraging to see that the government was expanding the Red Ribbon Campaign which is the fight against cervical cancer to rural areas, adding that such efforts will save many lives.

“I am pleased to note that the government here is responsive to the fight against cervical cancer which I think is highly commendable,” he said.

Mr Bush, who earlier attended church service at St Theresa Catholic Church, said the fight against cervical cancer needed concerted efforts of everyone in order for it to be won.

He said it breaks his heart to see many women dying from cervical cancer which he noted was treatable, adding that he has been driven by the desire to see to the improvement of human conditions of all Africans, particularly in Zambia.

Mr Bush also said he was pleased to be in the country which was peaceful and beautiful with kind people, adding that the country was privileged to have the Victoria Falls which he described as unique and spectacular.

And Mr Bush dodged a question on his opinion on gay rights, saying it was wrong to judge others before one is judged.

Meanwhile, Mrs Bush said it was important for all women in the country to go for cervical cancer screening, noting that if detected early, the disease was easy to treat.

“I want to encourage all the women in the country to go for cervical cancer screening because cervical cancer lesions are easy to treat when detected early,” Mrs Bush said.

Mrs Bush also called on the media to educate women on the need to go for cervical cancer screening, adding that education was the key to reducing the disease.

The former U S president, his wife and 20 other volunteers are on a private visit to help refurbish Mosi-o-Tunya clinic which is the second cervical cancer screening centre in Livingstone.

So far, about 40,000 women in Zambia have been screened and tested for cervical cancer under the Red Ribbon Campaign which is spearheaded by First Lady, Christine Kaseba-Sata.