Page 33 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16

Health & Healing

their numbers should be kept down
as much as possible: “These young
people can more readily be persuad-
ed to attack the legal institutions
of the government or real property
of the ‘establishment,’ ‘imperial-
ists,’ multinational corporations, or
other — often foreign — influences
blamed for their troubles.”

as they can in Uganda. Rates of by the US and other Western 4. Therefore, the United States must
HIV infection rose over 7%, which governments and foundations. develop a commitment to govern-
Edward Greene, former senior Currently there are no plans to stop ment population control among
research scientist at the Harvard sterilizations, but the Indian govern- key LDC leaders, while bypassing
School of Public Health, ascribes ment is introducing free injectable the will of their people: “The U.S.
to riskier behavior and less fear of contraceptives, which will also have should encourage LDC leaders to
HIV as a death sentence. major negative health impacts on take the lead in advancing family
women. planning and population stabi-
Recently, Ugandan adult HIV in- lization both within multilateral
fection rates have declined to 6.2%. Outline of the Population Control organizations and through bilateral
Nevertheless, Uganda’s initial suc- Strategy in NSSM-200 contacts with other LDCs.”
cess rate is perhaps the most egre- NSSM-200 explicitly lays out the
gious example of population control detailed strategy by which the Unit- 5. The critical elements of govern-
ideology trumping the science of ed States government aggressively ment population control implemen-
proven HIV prevention programs. promotes population control in de- tation include:
India veloping nations in order to regulate
In 2014 there was renewed inter- (or have better access to) the natural • Identifying the primary targets:
national attention on India’s con- resources of these countries. “Those countries are: India,
tinuing forced sterilization program Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria,
after dozens of women were killed The following outline shows the Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, the
and many more harmed due to the elements of this plan, with actual Philippines, Thailand, Egypt,
assembly line procedures being done supporting quotes from NSSM-200: Turkey, Ethiopia and Colom-
in grotesquely unsanitary conditions. bia.”
As gynecologist Josas Koninoor 1. The United States needs wide- • Enlisting the aid of as many
remarked: spread access to the mineral re- multilateral population control
sources of less-developed nations organizations as possible in this
95% of our clients belong to the very (quote shown above). worldwide project, in order to
poor class. They are responsible for giving deflect criticism and charges
birth four or five times. Since they cannot 2. The smooth flow of resources to of imperialism: “The U.S. will
remember to take birth control pills every the United States could be jeopar- look to the multilateral agen-
day, long-acting contraceptives are much dized by lesser-developed country cies, especially the U.N. Fund
better for them…. In order to have a good government action, labor conflicts, for Population Activities which
thing there is always a price to pay. If two sabotage, or civil disturbances, already has projects in over 80
or three women die — what’s the problem? which are much more likely if pop- countries to increase population
The population will be reduced.” ulation pressure is a factor: “These assistance on a broader basis
types of frustrations are much less with increased U.S. contribu-
Female sterilization is still India’s likely under conditions of slow or tions.”
primary method of “contracep- zero population growth.” • Recognizing that “no coun-
tion.” According to The New York try has reduced its population
Times, as of 2016 four million tubal 3. Young people are much more growth without resorting to
ligations are still done annually. This likely to challenge imperialism and abortion.”
program continues to be financed the world’s power structures, so • Designing programs with finan-
cial incentives for countries to

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