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Storella hails govt's efforts in improving health sector

Storella hails govt's efforts in improving health sector
By Brina Siwale in Livingstone
Wed 13 Feb. 2013, 14:00 CAT

US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella says the PF government has made tremendous efforts in improving the health sector. And Ambassador Storella says the US government will continue to render support to Zambia's health sector.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Ambassador Storella said helping Zambia develop and improve the health sector would always remain a priority for the US government.

"The Zambian health sector is doing ambitious things and we have seen government doing so much to raise the health standards of the Zambian people," he said.

"One improvement is that here in Southern Province government will start scaling up cervical cancer screening; this will save a lot of lives. So we will begin to work together to construct some cervical cancer screening wards and expand to other areas. So my impressions are positive though we still have a long way to go."

Ambassador Storella said he was impressed that the country was working hard to get to zero new infections of HIV and AIDS. He said this was seen through the increase in the professional practice which would reduce the mother to child transmission of HIV.

"The US will always be a reliable partner for the Zambian health sector, and we have been increasing our funding in the last five years. In Southern Province, we spend US$5 million dollars every year and US$400 million every year on the Zambian health sector as a whole," Ambassador Storella said.

He said with First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba's commitment to fighting cervical cancer and President Michael Sata's award for spearheading the fight against malaria, the country was poised for a developed health sector

Labels: AMBASSADOR, CIRCUMCISION, FRAUD, HIV/AIDS, MARK STORELLA

posted by MrK @ 5:37 PM