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Opening Statement
President Prodi,
Prime Minister Mocumbi,
Members of the European Parliament,
Commissioners,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to address you at the start of this
important meeting.
I congratulate President Prodi and his colleagues.
The EC’s policy framework is a swift and decisive response to the
international call for action against communicable diseases. Today, the
Commission has assembled stakeholders from around the world to discuss
the way forward - as we move from policy to implementation. WHO is proud
to be a co-sponsor of this Round Table meeting.
The landscape in which we work is changing. We meet at a time of
unprecedented international support for reducing poverty. And at a time
when health takes its rightful place at centre stage in the development
arena. We know that poor people suffer disproportionately from the
ravages of communicable diseases. We know too that HIV/AIDS, TB and
malaria are themselves major causes of poverty. The success or
failure of our collective response to these threats is critical. It
holds the key to the economic and physical security - not just of
individuals and communities - but of nations and continents.
The problems we face are daunting. The costs will be high. But the
price of failure will be even greater.
Economics is just one part of the picture. But the emerging image is
clear. Current estimates suggest that an additional $1 billion dollars
annually will be required to combat malaria effectively. But the annual
pay-off from this investment could be a $12 billion boost to the
combined GDP of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The situation with TB
is similar. Another billion dollars annually spent on drugs - linked to
work on health systems - could result in a 50% drop in mortality over
the next five years. With HIV/AIDS, we need even more. Sums in the order
of $2.5 billion dollars annually are needed for prevention alone. Add
the cost of care, and the figures rise dramatically. A huge demand,
perhaps, but the cost of inaction is higher. We are already seeing the
penalty in terms of reductions in GDP of up to 1% per year in the worst
affected countries.
The EC’s Communication signposts the way forward and highlights the
challenges we face.
We can do more with the tools and technologies that exist today -
if we use our imagination, our creativity - and if we are prepared to
learn from others. There are countries - and some of them are around
this table - that can show the world the way. They have reduced HIV
infection rates - by up to 80% in some cases - and they have reduced
deaths due to TB and malaria. These countries are pathfinders. Their
leaders have given strong political support. They have used all
effective channels to ensure that poor people have better access to
information and services. Our challenge is to ensure that the lessons
they have learned are applied as widely as possible.
To increase peoples access to care, we have to examine ways in
which drugs and other supplies can be made more affordable to poor
populations. We welcome the clear and comprehensive analysis of
factors influencing costs that we find in the Communication. Governments
around the world face tough choices when it comes to the financing and
provision of care. These decisions are their responsibility alone. It is
critical, however, that they are fully aware of their options. This
means having information to help in selecting the right products - for
promoting generic competition - for ensuring access to life-saving
patented products - for reducing the costs associated with taxes and
tariffs - and for securing long term financial sustainability. The
challenge is to agree on enabling global actions which can catalyse and
support countries effort.
We must invest in the future - for new drugs, new vaccines and
new diagnostic tools. Our challenge is to create the incentives - and
the right kind of economic environment - that will give priority to the
diseases which create and perpetuate poverty. Research and development
is a critical part of the strategy.
Mr President,
Communicable diseases are the next bridgehead in the campaign to
secure the livelihood of billions throughout the world.
We have to work together. No one government or agency can succeed
alone. We need new ways of working.
We will not succeed by looking back. We must build on promising
approaches such as the Comprehensive Development Framework. We must
secure the place of better health in Poverty Reduction Strategies. But
we must - above all else - ensure that we get results – results that
will transform the lives of poor people.
Health is key to development, and successful development requires
collaboration across traditional boundaries. We have to learn to think
beyond our sectoral departments. The policy framework prepared by the
European Commission gives us the right direction. It heralds a new way
of working - between sectors, between development partners, and between
national governments and the international community. WHO is committed
to helping it succeed.
Thank you. |
