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President
Obasanjo,
OAU Chair
President Eyadema,
Heads of
State and Government,
UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan,
OAU
Secretary-General Salim Salim,
Ex-Presidents
Clinton and Rawlings,
Honourable
Ministers,
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We have the means to prevent the human and
development crisis that is caused by HIV, TB and other infectious
diseases - but they are not accessible to the millions of women,
children and men in Africa who need them.
In his call to action the Secretary-General has
reminded us that we must all do more to bridge the gap between those
who have, and those who have not. He warned us of the dire
consequences if the right action is not taken.
Put simply, we have to scale up effective action.
All of us - the governments, the international community and all of us
in UNAIDS - accept that we must do better - together.
The resources needed dwarf what can be made
available within the context of most African countries' GNPs. There
is a stark and evident need to mobilize massive external resources and
to make them available, quickly. As the Secretary-General said, our
efforts will build on the determination of governments to increase
their own commitments.
We have solid evidence of what works - gained from
country experience since the epidemic started. Many successful
projects already provide services for prevention, testing, care,
treatment and support. But many of them are small.
Scaling up is vital, but it is no simple task.
Implementation needs care and skill. There is no alternative to
creative and effective partnerships to make it happen.
The World Health Organization is scaling up its efforts
to respond, through technical support, through mobilizing additional
resources and through responding to Member States' requests for better
access to care and medication. Our actions are based on the best
evidence, encouraging joint working, emphasizing the need to secure
results quickly.
We are focusing, relentlessly, on better health
outcomes. They are key to the fate of our peoples and the health
of our economies.
Knowing your HIV status has meaning if you are able
to access effective care for the infection. There is no dichotomy
between prevention and treatment. There has to be hope. Accessible
care leads to a real prospect of a longer life: people with HIV are
powerful partners in prevention and partners for development.
To be able to prevent, to care, or to treat calls
for functioning health systems.
If young people are to reduce their risk of HIV,
they must be able to access preventive services and treatment for
sexually-transmitted infections. Health systems are essential for the
prevention of mother-to-child transmission, for improving access to
voluntary counselling and testing, for effective care and treatment
for people living with HIV.
Offering effective care to people at risk of ill
health also leads to hope. It leads to reassurance that tomorrow
brings less suffering, and a greater chance to earn and to learn.
We are working to improve the delivery of services
for people affected by HIV - strengthening human capacity, and
accessing effective, low-cost medicines and other commodities.
We need to confront reality, together, and focus on
health systems that respond effectively and equitably to people's
priority health needs.
Colleagues,
We come together at a time of powerful African
leadership for human development and for equitable globalization.
Mr President: you are a vivid example of this
leadership. I have witnessed this personally - when you have engaged
me in your vision for the people of your great country; when you
launched the campaign to Roll Back Malaria at the Summit meeting here,
a year ago today; when you presented your plan for Africa's recovery
with Presidents Mbeki, Mkapa and Wade earlier this year, in
Switzerland.
Leadership is being shown by the Organization for
African Unity - championing Africa and her people in political
settings, securing unity of purpose and action, and focusing on real
change - the outcomes that reflect people's development.
Heads of State are establishing the vision and
leading the movement for change, for a world that treats its people,
and uses its resources, in a fairer and more equitable manner. You are
changing the nature of discourse between Africa and the rest of the
world.
Colleagues,
This potent leadership from Africa provides a
context within which we can all work as one, turning hope and
intentions into reality - into good health outcomes for all, into
better lives and livelihoods, and into a promising future for Africa,
and for our world.
Thank you. |
