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Thursday, 21 February 2008
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The ABC (Abstinence, Be Faithful, use Condoms) program implemented in Africa has been 'unbelievably effective' announces US President George Bush.
Abstinence 'will stop AIDs in Africa'
Daily Telegraph, February 21, 2008
US President George W Bush signalled that he might drop his anti-HIV/AIDS strategy's insistence on sexual abstinence if he finds it is ineffective – but not now, because the program is working. "I monitor the results. And if it looks like it's not working, then we'll change. But thus far I can report, at least to our citizens, that the program has been unbelievably effective. And we're going to stay at it," he said.
President Bush had been asked by a reporter in Ghana, the second last stop in his Africa tour, about the plan's focus on abstinence and fidelity as being at odds with tacit African acceptance of multiple partners.
"I understand customs and norms, but it seems like to me that if you really want to solve the problem, step one is to have a comprehensive prevention program," President Bush said.
He spoke as the US Congress has been tussling over the program, with the White House's Democratic critics looking to strip or modify a requirement that one third of the money go to emphasising abstinence, amid warnings from some health experts that doing so is ineffective.
President Bush detailed what he has called his "ABC" strategy - abstinence, be faithful, use condoms - and declared: "All I'm interested in is results. I'm wise enough to set the strategy and change the tactics if they're not working".
Continue reading at daily telegraph
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