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Researchers manipulating life expectancy figures - CSO

    JOHANNESBURG

    Zambia's Central Statistical Office (CSO) on Thursday said Western donors studying the local impact of HIV/AIDS were manipulating life expectancy figures to suit their own interests.

    CSO director, Buleti Nsemukila, said Zambia's life expectancy was 50 years, rather than 37 years, as was widely propagated by Western donors and researchers.

    Nsemukila told the UN news service PlusNews: "All these statistics of 37 years are a fabrication by proponents - it's typical of Western researchers studying the impact of HIV/AIDS."

    He said the methods used by researchers when applying life expectancy models were "technically wrong".

    Nsemukila added: "While the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a disaster for Zambia, its impact should not be underplayed."

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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