On Monday 18 February, US President George W. Bush visited the new Olyset Net Factory in Arusha as part of his five-country tour of Africa. President Bush praised the Tanzanian government, A to Z Textile Mills and Sumitomo Chemical, as major players in the fight against malaria.
“The suffering caused by malaria is needless and every death caused by malaria is unacceptable,” stated President Bush. “So as this campaign protects women and children from malaria, it also boosts local economies. It helps develop a culture of bed net use that will be sustained long after relief programs have ended.”
During their visit to the Olyset Net factory, the President and Mrs. Bush were given a tour of the facilities by A to Z Textile Mills and Sumitomo Chemical management. They learned first-hand about the state-of-the-art technology and manufacture of Olyset Nets, met with enthusiastic factory workers, posed for photographs and handed out Olyset Nets to patients during their tour of the Meru District Hospital earlier that day.
The President and Mrs. Bush’s visit comes on the heels of the official opening of the Olyset Net factory on 8 February in Arusha.
Photo credits: Enrico Ciceri, A to Z Textile Mills, Ltd.