Ford Press Releases, January - April 1966: 12130682

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VIE'I'NAM MEDICAL
Page Three
"The President should ask Congress to appropriate funds
for this program," Dr. Swanson said.
"Congress has just voted $1.8 billion to replace aircraft
shot down over Vietnam. If they would put the same amount of
money into social reconstruction, the war would be a lot closer
to being won • "
"Even now the AID (Agency for International Development)
people over there could at least do something about the filthi-
ness in the hospitals--at least get the walls scrubbed down
on a regular basis. But they won't do it, and their excuse is
that the Vietnamese don't do it and it's their problem.
"It's mostly a matter of the guy at the top (President
Johnson) saying, 'Let's do something about this; and if there's
anything you can do, we' 11 back you up. 1 "
Ford emphasized that Congress has just approved $415 million
in special economic aid for Vietnam. He suggested some of this
money could be used to improve medical conditions there.
Dr. Swanson recalled that Vice-President Humphrey on his
recent visit to Vietnam pledged help on two fron~s--social as
well as military. If the United States follows through, the
surgeon continued, this should mean medical funds equal to the
need.
Dr. Swanson currently is trying to put together a polio
immunization program for Vietnam with·private assistance coupled
with the government's blessing.
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