General Assembly pledges support for war against AIDS.

General Assembly pledges support for war against AIDS

Over the next five years, as many as 3 million more people worldwide could develop acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a debilitating, fatal disease which has now reached pandemic proportions and as yet has no cure.

AIDS "is a global challenge of unprecedented proportions. It affects and threatens all countries -- North and South, East and West, rich and poor, of whatever political and economic orientation", Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar told the plenary which considered the topic as a priority issue. "It raises crucial social, humanitarian and legal issues, threatening to undermine the fabric of tolerance and understanding upon which our societies must function."

At a special meeting on 20 October, Dr. Halfdan Mahler, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the WHO Special Programme on AIDS, described the efforts of the WHO Global Strategy against AIDS. Without a concerted international effort, the disease could devastate populations and cripple health services.

The officials also announced the creation of a WHO Global Commission on AIDS, which will include experts in health, social, economic, legal, ethical and biomedical fields, to advise WHO officials of developments in various aspects of the disease, Dr. Mahler said.

Member States voiced united opinions during the October debate about the need for open communication and support of WHO efforts to combat the disease.

Confirming that WHO should continue to direct and co-ordinate the "urgent global battle against AIDS", the Assembly commended Governments which have established programmes to control AIDS in line with WHO Global Strategy, as well as WHO efforts to prevent AIDS and its support of national AIDS programmes and regional meetings.

In resolution 42/8, adopted without vote, the world body also called upon all States, in addressing the AIDS problem, to take into account the legitimate concerns of other countries and inter-State relations; invited WHO to facilitate the exchange of information on and promotion of national and international research for the control of AIDS, through further development of the Collaborating Centres of WHO and existing mechanisms; and asked the Secretary-General to ensure a co-ordinated response to the AIDS pandemic through the United Nations system and other organizations in line with WHO's Global Strategy.

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