World Lung Foundation Applauds President Obama's Pledge to Resume Financial Support for UN Population Fund
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Contact: Jorge Alday, Public Relations Manager
(New York)
– World Lung Foundation released today the
following statement from
Peter Baldini, Executive Director, applauding
President Obama's pledge
to restore United States support to the United
Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA):
"World Lung Foundation
commends the Obama administration's pledge to
support policy
change that will enable funding to
reach the United Nations Population Fund. This
life‐saving
decision will increase safe pregnancies
and childbirths and help reverse unacceptably
high rates
of maternal and child mortality. Its
evidence‐based programs have helped to
substantially
reduce maternal mortality rates in
Bolivia, Egypt, Zimbabwe and other
countries.
President Obama's decision paves the
way for America to rejoin approximately 180
countries
that are using science to address a
critical global public health issue. A total of
$244 million has
been appropriated for vital programs.
World Lung Foundation urges the United States
Congress
to support the President's pledge and
include UNFPA in its FY2009 foreign aid
spending bill."
# # #
About World Lung Foundation
World Lung Foundation was established in response to the global epidemic of lung disease, which kills 10 million people each year. The organization improves global lung health by improving local capacity to conduct research, develop public policy and deliver public health education. The organization's areas of emphasis are tobacco control, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, asthma, and child lung health. For more information, please visit worldlungfoundation.org