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US Presidential Candidate McCain Pledges To Eradicate Malaria in Africa

by Medindia Content Team on Mar 28 2008 5:45 PM

U.S. presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during a speech to the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles outlined his foreign policy strategy and said that he would work to eradicate malaria in Africa, the Washington Post reports.

McCain said that if elected president, he would "establish the goal of eradicating malaria on the continent -- the No. 1 killer of African children under the age of five." He added that in addition to "saving millions of lives in the world’s poorest regions, such a campaign would do much to add luster to America’s image in the world."

McCain also said that although "Africa’s problems -- poverty, corruption, disease and instability -- are well-known, we must refocus on the bright promise offered by many countries on that continent."

He added, "We must strongly engage on a political, economic and security level with friendly governments across Africa but insist on improvements in transparency and the rule of law.

Many African nations will not reach their true potential without external assistance to combat entrenched problems, such as HIV/AIDS, that afflict Africans disproportionately.

Source-Kaiser Family Foundation
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