President George W Bush of the US is urging its fellow G8 countries to follow through with their pledge to give $60 billion to help the worst-affected countries fight major diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Malaria.

Bush recently criticised the Group of Eight, who are yet to dispense funds to African countries after an agreement was made to do so in last year's meeting in Germany. The commitment was made by the 8 industrialized nations in order to help various countries in the world's poorest continent.

Diseases like Malaria and HIV/AIDS are massive killers in Africa, but the commitment made last year by the G8 has not led to any significant action. Bush, at the ceremony for the US Institute of Peace, said: "They have yet to make good on their commitments"

The Bush Administration said recently that the US is current with its share of the money and urged other G8 countries to ensure the same ahead of this July's summit in Japan. Bush said: "I will remind them its one thing to make a promise, it's another thing to write a cheque - The American government expects our partners to live up to their obligations."

Ongoing criticism from the media on Bush's Iraq War have somewhat overshadowed the administration's successful foreign aid program - his continuing efforts to raise the profile and amount of aid for fighting major diseases in Africa has been hailed by many as a resounding success.

Bush's foreign aid program (The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) may even double its original donation to $30 over the next 5 years, Bush said earlier this year. His signature program - launched in 2003 - provides 15 countries of the world with drugs and health programs to help combat HIV/AIDS. The UN estimates that two thirds of AIDS sufferers reside in sub-Saharan Africa. The number of sufferers worldwide is 33 million.

In June 2005 the Bush Administration developed a 5-year plan to reduce the number of deaths caused by malaria by 50 per cent in 15 African nations. The proposals will see $1.2 billion of US money spent over the 5 year period. He has also expanded spending on relief for AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis to $50 billion, after lawmakers approved the decision in the US House of Representatives in April of this year.

5.2 million insecticide-treated bed nets will be distributed in Tanzania to combat the rapidly-spreading malaria disease.

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