US President George W. Bush said for the first time on Wednesday that the US should "learn from the experience" of countries like Uganda in fighting AIDS and embrace the use of condoms to prevent its spread, a sensitive issue among conservative groups that have fought the adoption of any strategy that does not focus on abstinence.
Announcing some modest changes to government financing for antiretroviral drugs in front of a church-affiliated group in Philadelphia, Bush also argued for abstinence. But in his comments, he appeared to be offering something to both sides in the debate: His base of social conservatives as well as moderates in key states, who have complained that Bush has been too slow to embrace effective methods of preventing the disease.
"We can learn from the experiences of other countries when it comes to a good program to prevent the spread of AIDS, like the nation of Uganda," Bush said. "They've started what they call the ABC approach to prevention of this deadly disease. That stands for: Abstain, be faithful in marriage, and, when appropriate, use condoms."
The approach was working and was a "practical, balanced and moral message," Bush said.
He was quick to add that "in addition to other kinds of prevention, we need to tell our children that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid contracting HIV."
As audience members shouted "Yes!" in response to his words, he said. "It works every time."
Cries of "Every time!" and "That's for sure!" answered from the pews.
Uganda has used the ABC approach for years, but it did not originate there, as it is simply a mnemonic used by AIDS educators in many English-speaking countries. But Uganda's success in driving down new infection rates has drawn attention.
The program that the president visited here on his way to a private lunch with supporters in a wealthy corner of the suburb of Villanova is the charitable operation of the Greater Exodus Baptist Church, a predominantly black congregation.
The pastor, the Reverend Herbert Lusk II, a former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles, is a longtime supporter of the president.
Bush used the event to urge Congress to speed up financing of his plan to spend US$15 billion over five years to fight AIDS. He also announced that Vietnam would be added to the list of 15 countries receiving the money, making it the first Asian nation on the list.
Nonetheless, some activist groups have accused the Bush administration of doing too little -- the fight against AIDS needs at least US$30 billion over five years, they argue, and the money could be spent more quickly. They also accuse the administration of wasting taxpayer dollars on expensive brand-name drugs from big pharmaceutical companies with powerful lobbies.
Bush has mentioned condom use at least once before: Last July, in Entebbe, Uganda, on his trip to Africa.
A fire caused by a burst gas pipe yesterday spread to several homes and sent a fireball soaring into the sky outside Malaysia’s largest city, injuring more than 100 people. The towering inferno near a gas station in Putra Heights outside Kuala Lumpur was visible for kilometers and lasted for several hours. It happened during a public holiday as Muslims, who are the majority in Malaysia, celebrate the second day of Eid al-Fitr. National oil company Petronas said the fire started at one of its gas pipelines at 8:10am and the affected pipeline was later isolated. Disaster management officials said shutting the
DITCH TACTICS: Kenyan officers were on their way to rescue Haitian police stuck in a ditch suspected to have been deliberately dug by Haitian gang members A Kenyan policeman deployed in Haiti has gone missing after violent gangs attacked a group of officers on a rescue mission, a UN-backed multinational security mission said in a statement yesterday. The Kenyan officers on Tuesday were on their way to rescue Haitian police stuck in a ditch “suspected to have been deliberately dug by gangs,” the statement said, adding that “specialized teams have been deployed” to search for the missing officer. Local media outlets in Haiti reported that the officer had been killed and videos of a lifeless man clothed in Kenyan uniform were shared on social media. Gang violence has left
US Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday accused Denmark of not having done enough to protect Greenland, when he visited the strategically placed and resource-rich Danish territory coveted by US President Donald Trump. Vance made his comment during a trip to the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, a visit viewed by Copenhagen and Nuuk as a provocation. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: You have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance told a news conference. “You have under-invested in the people of Greenland, and you have under-invested in the security architecture of this
Japan unveiled a plan on Thursday to evacuate around 120,000 residents and tourists from its southern islets near Taiwan within six days in the event of an “emergency”. The plan was put together as “the security situation surrounding our nation grows severe” and with an “emergency” in mind, the government’s crisis management office said. Exactly what that emergency might be was left unspecified in the plan but it envisages the evacuation of around 120,000 people in five Japanese islets close to Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has stepped up military pressure in recent years, including