General Assembly Session 62 meeting 106

The President

There are still 79 names on the list of speakers. In order to accommodate all the speakers for the high-level meeting, I would like to strongly appeal to speakers to limit their statements to five minutes.

The next speaker on my list is His Excellency Mr. Liu Qian, Vice-Minister of Health of China.

Mr. Liu Qian (China)

The Chinese delegation aligns itself with the statement of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to people's health and earnestly fulfils its commitment to the international community. In recent years, the Chinese Government established the State promulgated regulations on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and formulated China's Action Plan for Reducing and Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS for the period from 2006 to 2010, in which the policy of "Four Frees and One Care" has been put forward.

The policy consists of the following aspects: first, to provide AIDS patients with free antiretroviral treatment and either free or low-cost treatment against opportunistic infections; secondly, to provide free voluntary counselling and testing; thirdly, to provide AIDS-infected pregnant women with free treatment and counselling about the prevention of mother-to-child transmission; fourthly, to provide AIDS orphans with free education; and fifthly, to provide assistance to poor people living with HIV, poor AIDS patients and their families.

In addition, we have increased funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment to about $100 million per year. A working mechanism on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment has taken shape, characterized by Government leadership, division of labour among the relevant departments and social participation. Here, I would like to provide a brief account of China's efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

First, we have broadened the coverage of antiretroviral treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission. By April 2008, we had provided antiretroviral treatment to over 45,000 adult AIDS patients and over 900 children nationwide, substantially reducing fatality rates and prolonging patients' lives. Thanks to the scaled-up prevention of mother-to-child transmission, the infection rate through mother-to-child transmission has dropped by nearly 60 per cent.

Secondly, we tap the potential of traditional Chinese medicine to treat HIV/AIDS. By March 2008, we had treated some 8,000 AIDS patients with Chinese medicine, preventing their conditions from exacerbating rapidly. As a result, more and more patients take antiretroviral therapy on a voluntary basis.

Thirdly, we deliver assistance to those affected by AIDS at the level of families and communities. To assist orphans, and AIDS orphans in particular, the Chinese Government formulated in 2006 preferential policies in nine areas, including their living conditions, education and medical care. China has allocated 50 million yuan to building assistance and accommodation centres for AIDS orphans and has actively searched for an appropriate modality to support AIDS orphans.

Fourthly, we promote scientific studies on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. The Chinese Government actively supports HIV/AIDS research. Through molecular epidemiology surveys, we have established the epidemiological patterns of HIV infection in China. We have also vigorously engaged in research on and development of antiretroviral drugs, and on drug resistance and have conducted experiments on modalities to treat and manage AIDS/tuberculosis co-infection.

Fifthly, we have scaled up international cooperation, giving full play to the role of non-governmental organizations. The Chinese Government sets store in international cooperation and exchanges in combating HIV/AIDS. We have launched productive bilateral cooperation with many countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. In addition, we maintain close partnerships with such international organizations as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. In addition, numerous international non-governmental organizations, such as the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Foundation have been actively involved in China's HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts.

HIV/AIDS is the enemy of the entire human race, and to defeat it is our shared goal. In the future, China will continue with its policy of "Four Frees and One Care", and reach out to more people in publicity and educational campaigns. By 2010, we hope to reach the goals of over 85 per cent HIV/AIDS awareness in urban areas and 75 per cent in rural areas; 90 per cent coverage of interventions for high risk groups, including intravenous drug users; and provide 70,000 people with antiretroviral therapy. Moreover, China intends to press ahead with scientific studies; in the years to come, hundreds of millions of dollars will be allocated to such key areas as the research and development of vaccines and antiretroviral drugs and molecular epidemiological studies. We stand ready to work with the international community to search for effective strategies and measures for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, fulfil the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and make contributions to containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide.

The President

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Jeanette Vega, Deputy Minister of Health of Chile.

Ms. Vega (Chile)

Chile endorses the statements of the representative of Antigua and Barbuda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the Minister of Health of Mexico, on behalf of the Rio Group.

On behalf of the delegation of Chile, composed of representatives of Government, of people living with HIV and of social and non-governmental organizations, I commend the efforts made by the Member States of this Organization once again to place at the centre of the global debate a topic of the importance of HIV/AIDS and our response as a commitment of mankind.

Since the Secretary-General appealed in the Assembly to Member States to assume the commitments whose implementation we are now reviewing, our country has joined other Member States in welcoming his appeal and working to meet the challenges.

Eight years have passed, and we certainly note extremely important progress, especially in the areas of care and access to antiretroviral treatment. But we also note that major challenges and gaps still remain, basically with respect to access to preventive services and treatment. Therefore, the epidemic continues to spread, showing that the efforts made have not been sufficient to contain it.

On this public health issue, many of the inequities and inequalities in today's world exacerbate the vulnerabilities of people, significantly affecting the poorest countries, particularly those of Africa, the poorest within countries, young people, women, men who have sex with men, refugees, migrants and persons deprived of freedom, among others. Hence there is a need to focus more closely on social factors when dealing with prevention and treatment, tackling the socio-structural causes and inequities between and within countries to find more lasting solutions.

Individual social, cultural and regional realities must be taken into account in order to provide a more effective response to the epidemic, and diversity must be recognized as a cultural asset. That creates a need for information reflecting the various realities and for ongoing evaluation of the action taken. We need strategic alliances in order to advance towards solving the social problems affecting our societies and, consequently, health policies adapted to our various countries.

We also need more decisive involvement of all the relevant players to achieve the goals. That must become a more cross-cutting issue in society, with greater shared responsibility, involving more social actors, different government sectors and grass-roots organizations.

Our Government regards unrestricted respect for the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, and of the most vulnerable populations, as not only a State duty, but also a requirement for making progress in controlling the epidemic. Legal and political conditions must be created for the protection and promotion of human rights, particularly of those most vulnerable to infection.

Chile welcomes the creation of joint bodies and initiatives to combine efforts and resources as a big step forward in the struggle to close the huge economic gap in responses to HIV between the industrialized world and countries with fewer resources.

We attach great importance to the appeal made here for the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Together with national efforts, this has allowed progress towards a clearer response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, we believe that this initiative results in two challenges that must be confronted: first, the need for the resources to strengthen Governments in their struggle to control the epidemic, rather than contribute to weakening their authority in health matters; and, secondly, the need to create mechanisms for medium-and long-term sustainability, which requires political commitments and resources.

We also stress the commitment of the Rio Group and the Horizontal Technical Cooperation Group of Latin America and the Caribbean on HIV/AIDS, as well as the lead bodies on this issue -- the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS -- which, in order to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment and care, have voiced the desire for vitally needed more decisive intervention to tackle this problem.

In my country, speedy access to free treatment is guaranteed for 100 per cent of the population. We also guarantee testing and treatment for all pregnant women in order to prevent the vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Lastly, Chile reaffirms its commitment to continue working, with an emphasis on human rights and equity, to stem the AIDS epidemic and cooperate at the international and regional levels, and thus to contribute to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and the targets set by the Assembly.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Paul Richard Ralainirina, Deputy Minister of Health of Madagascar.

Mr. Ralainirina (Madagascar)

My delegation welcomes this high-level meeting. Such meetings allow us to assess on a regular basis the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment adopted by the Assembly in June 2001 and to pinpoint the measures needed to give a new impetus to our common action against the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

At the regional level, Madagascar fully endorses the common African position, as well as the position of member states of the Southern African Development Community, and supports the Abuja Declaration of 2006.

During the African consultation of stakeholders in strategic planning, gender and civil society on how to meet the challenge of HIV/AIDS, held in Madagascar last April, Mr. Marc Ravalomanana, President of the Republic of Madagascar, in order to highlight his permanent commitment, noted a number of barriers to trying to deal with HIV/AIDS: first, the poor quality of the health-care system and poor universal access to preventive care, treatment and support, due to lack of quality resources; secondly, the lack of truly engaged leadership in effective management of the response; and, thirdly, weak coordination, partnership and accountability. Those barriers, and a number of others, are well described in the Secretary-General's excellent report, on which I congratulate him.

Our authorities have always responded to the calls for strong leadership and the commitment and investment of all, each at its own level; for encouraging the development of solutions to remove socio-economic obstacles to universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support; and for attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

The response includes national ownership, by implementing new prevention and control initiatives, through strategies based on proof, implementation of an integrated prevention package, the use of referral doctors and psycho-social associations to help people living with HIV/AIDS, and a multisectoral partnership; strengthened machinery to fight the sexually transmitted infections that give HIV an entry point; the establishment of solidarity funds to support individuals living with HIV; decentralization of management of the response, with implementation of an approach focused on communities according to their degree of vulnerability; adoption of laws and regulations protecting people living with HIV, as well as vulnerable groups, against all forms of discrimination and exploitation; and strengthening communication activities, focused on initiatives and actions which assist local and remote intervention.

As a result of those measures, our HIV prevalence rate remains at less than 1 per cent. However, we need to go beyond the figures and make vigilance our sole rule of conduct.

Madagascar is convinced that we need to speak the same language and take equal steps, at the same pace, with strong leadership at all levels. In terms of financial partners, we need to consider support for the response to HIV/AIDS as a true long-term investment, whatever the prevalence rate in question may be. We must also overcome the causes of the epidemic at the national, regional and international levels, developing and coordinating the most appropriate strategies, particularly in terms of prevention, and strengthen the partnership with the private sector and civil society in the response. Last, but not least, we need to improve the health service on offer, while reducing the cost to recipients.

Everything that we have been developing can be summed up in a few words: strategic vision and a long-term outlook; political will; active solidarity; and tenacity in the face of all trials. Let us open our hearts to these noble sentiments and equip ourselves with these key tools.

I am convinced that together we shall vanquish AIDS and allow future generations to avoid a worldwide catastrophe.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Michael Vit, Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic.

Mr. Vit (Czech Republic)

I consider it an honour, as the Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic, to represent the Czech Republic and the National AIDS Programme at this forum.

The Czech Republic has remained a country with a very low incidence of HIV/AIDS in the European and global contexts. By the end of 2007, the cumulative incidence of HIV/AIDS was 102 cases for every million people, while in the capital city of Prague the incidence was more than four times that level.

At the end of 2007, the number of registered cases of HIV/AIDS was more than a thousand. Although, over the years, there has been a kind of feminization of the epidemic, which is increasingly transferred by heterosexual sex -- about 54 per cent -- our epidemic is still dominated by the transmission of the HIV virus between men who have sex with other men. As of 31 December 2007, men accounted for 79 per cent of the total number of registered HIV/AIDS cases in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic is now implementing its fourth medium-term plan for HIV/AIDS, for 2008-2012. At the beginning of 2008, the Czech Government approved an intersectoral programme to tackle HIV/AIDS in the Czech Republic, which delegates more work to other ministries than the Ministry of Health alone. That reflects the fact that HIV/AIDS is increasingly a problem for society as a whole, and not exclusively a health problem. To monitor the implementation of the medium-term plan, the internationally approved Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) indicators are used, facilitating a global comparison of the achievement of the objectives of the 2001 Declaration of Commitment and the 2006 Political Declaration.

Over the next five years, we will seek to stabilize the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Czech Republic and reduce the annual increase in new cases of HIV/AIDS, as was the case from 2001 to 2007.

With regard to the Czech Republic's international cooperation, I would like to mention above all our cooperation with UNAIDS. Until last year the Czech Republic was a regular rotating member of its Coordination Board. Within the European Community, representatives of the Czech Republic regularly participate in a think tank and contribute to a number of European Union projects for HIV/AIDS surveillance, resistance to antiretroviral medicines and other fields. The Czech Republic also feels that it has a duty to countries of Eastern Europe and other countries stricken with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which it seeks to help -- for example, with a number of projects and experts, including the United Nations Development Programme.

I believe that this General Assembly meeting will bring new impulses to achieve the international objectives in tackling HIV/AIDS on a global scale.

I realize that there are many positive cases in which integrated intervention in prevention, care and treatment for people infected with HIV has helped to bring the HIV/AIDS epidemic at least partially under control. The Czech Republic is ready to apply those good practice programmes, and I am willing to discuss opportunities for cooperation with it, in bilateral and broader contexts, aimed at limiting the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the modern world.

The President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Bahtiyor Niyazmatov, Deputy Minister of Health of Uzbekistan.

Mr. Niyazmatov (Uzbekistan)

At the outset, I sincerely greet participants in this high-level meeting. It is an honour for me to speak on behalf of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

I believe that our discussion should make an important contribution both to understanding and to finding solutions to one of the most serious problems faced by the whole international community.

The spread of HIV has become a global problem, and our common success in defeating AIDS depends on the contribution of every country. Since the first HIV diagnosis in 1981, the infection has become the foremost global problem, affecting social, economic and demographic aspects of international development.

In taking this opportunity to discuss the problem of HIV/AIDS in an open and constructive manner, I would like to highlight several very important efforts made by the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Protection of the population's health is one of our country's priorities, and has always been at the centre of attention of its leadership. The declaration by Mr. Islam Karimov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, of 2005 as the Year of Health, 2006 as the Year of Charity and Medical Workers, 2007 as the Year of Social Protection, and 2008 as the Year of Youth was primarily aimed at mobilizing all knowledge and forces in the sphere of health protection to prevent infectious and non-infectious diseases.

It should be noted that the Republic of Uzbekistan confronted the AIDS problem somewhat later than other countries, and it is currently a comparatively safe country in terms of the spread of HIV.

We pay great attention to protection of the population's health and improvement of standards of living, which are the main priorities of our State's policy and are reflected in the guiding documents of the Republic.

In response to the epidemic, the Government, with the participation of international organizations and non-governmental institutions, is conducting purposeful activities to slow down the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Since 2003 we have had a successful national coordination committee, created under the Cabinet of Ministers, coordinating strategic programmes to counter the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The committee consists of 25 members representing governmental, public, non-governmental, religious and international organizations. In particular, organizations representing or supporting people living with HIV contribute greatly to the committee's activities. Its main purpose is to create a tolerant attitude towards HIV-infected people, fight stigmatization and discrimination, and implement the national programme based on United Nations principles.

A unified monitoring and evaluation system to oversee the implementation of strategies in order to stabilize the HIV epidemic has been established.

The national strategic programme on response to HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011 has been in operation since 2003. Its principles are based on Uzbekistan's international commitments stated in the Millennium Development Goals, the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

The strategic programme for 2007-2011 foresees effective prevention programmes aimed at meeting the needs of vulnerable groups; ensuring access to quality medical care; support for and care of people living with HIV/AIDS, including the provision of antiretroviral therapy; creation of a favourable environment to enable work with vulnerable groups; and protection of the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Since 2001, funding for the fight against AIDS has increased threefold. Access to key prevention and care services has considerably expanded. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as our United Nations partner organizations -- the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization and the World Bank -- implement their projects in the country.

The so-called Mahalla Fund, which belongs to local self-governance, contributes considerably to HIV/AIDS prevention. The Fund is an instrument for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle as a measure to prevent AIDS.

Effective implementation of the HIV/AIDS programme also depends on close cooperation with civil society and non-governmental organizations.

Along with most other Members of the United Nations, in 2001 the Republic of Uzbekistan associated itself with the International Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, in accordance with which it is associated with common international policy, strategies and approaches to curbing the epidemic.

The Republic of Uzbekistan is also guided by the United Nations "Three Ones" principles: one agreed action framework, one national coordinating authority and one agreed country-level monitoring and evaluation system. I would note that experience gained during implementation of the national programme within the "Three Ones" shows that it does not fully incorporate a number of other important areas. It should be specially noted that funding of some activities does not always meet the country's main HIV/AIDS priorities.

In that context, in the second paragraph of his April report (A/62/780) dealing with the midway point to the Millennium Development Goals, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon rightly said: "progress in the response to HIV is evident in many regions, reflecting a return on the substantial investments made". But he believes that "this progress is uneven and the expansion of the epidemic itself is often outstripping the pace at which services are being brought to scale". This brings us to "the pressing need for a stronger commitment to HIV prevention".

Taking into account the Secretary-General's view on the need to strengthen the effective management of financial flows from various sources in order to purposefully promote activities aimed at HIV-prevention, Uzbekistan proposes to add to the existing three United Nations principles a fourth: one unified financial mechanism.

Mr. Niyazmatov (Uzbekistan)

This meeting once again confirms that national strategies to fight HIV/AIDS are on the right track; they prevent further spread of the epidemic and improve the quality of life and life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS in Uzbekistan. Approval of our strategy shows appreciation of our activities on the international level.

I once again note that Uzbekistan has created favourable conditions for implementation of the planned activities to fight HIV, and I believe that we will succeed, not only in stabilizing, but in reducing, the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Finally, I wish all participants in this meeting and its organizers productive work and further success in carrying the planned endeavours.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Thomas Zeltner, State Secretary of Switzerland.

Mr. Zeltner (Switzerland)

Switzerland, too, thanks the Secretary-General for his report, which is of great value for our work.

Although we are pleased with the positive developments since 2001, particularly with regard to access to treatment, there are no grounds for complacency. Major challenges remain, particularly in regard to prevention. We must remain vigilant to ensure that multisectoral, systemic and coordinated measures are taken, measures that are evidence-based and guarantee universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support.

There is no doubt that stigma and discrimination continue to worsen the situation of women and children, men who have sex with men, sex workers, drug users and persons suffering from HIV/AIDS and their families. All too frequently, HIV-positive people still face obstacles when seeking employment or wishing to travel. We are one of the countries that think there is no justification for those obstacles.

Switzerland strongly advocates that the promotion and protection of human rights, including rights connected with sexual and reproductive health, as well as gender equality, should be at the heart of all our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS.

If we want to prevent new infections, we must scale up our efforts to ensure that all persons have unrestricted access to education, information, decision-making power, support services, voluntary counselling and testing services and means to protect their sexual and reproductive health -- in particular, access to condoms and treatment.

It is also necessary to improve prevention, therapy and harm-reduction measures, such as the distribution of syringes to injecting drug users. We are convinced that, in order to be effective, these efforts must go hand in hand with the strengthening of health systems and national and community capacities to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Economic, social, cultural and legal factors that deny fundamental rights to girls and women must be eliminated. In this regard, we emphasize that men and boys have a crucial role to play in achieving gender equality.

Let us also stress the importance of respect for and protection of the rights of millions of children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS. Access of young people to sex education and to sexual and reproductive health services suited to their specific needs is also crucial.

In Switzerland there has been a slight decrease in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the past two years, but this masks an ongoing increase in new infections in certain risk groups, particularly among men who have sex with men.

With regard to the reduction of risk for intravenous drug users, the success of our strategy has been confirmed. Thanks to an approach that combines prevention programmes, the wide distribution of syringes, offers of treatment that also include the prescription of methadone and heroin, the transmission of HIV/AIDS by blood has been considerably reduced in that group.

At the international level, Switzerland is increasingly integrating the issue of HIV/AIDS in its development cooperation and humanitarian aid activities. In that regard, we are trying to ensure that prevention aspects are given increased attention and that all measures are evidence-based. Among its efforts, Switzerland is working to ensure that children and communities affected by HIV/AIDS, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, benefit from quality psychosocial support and that more weight is given to prevention, both in countries of low prevalence as well as in certain countries where there is a triple threat -- HIV/AIDS combined with food insecurity and weak governance.

Switzerland pays tribute to the catalytic role played by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and to the efforts of its 10 sponsors and of many other actors to respond effectively to this pandemic. We also thank and congratulate Peter Piot, the head of UNAIDS, for his formidable leadership in his function. Switzerland takes this opportunity to stress that the different roles and responsibilities should be shared appropriately, particularly with regard to UNAIDS support for the financing processes of the Global Fund. It is also crucial that all measures be coordinated at all levels to ensure sustainable solutions to the remaining challenges.

In conclusion, Switzerland wishes to reiterate its full support for the implementation of the 2001 Declaration of Commitment and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

The Acting President

A problem occurred in a Python script. Here is the sequence of function calls leading up to the error, in the order they occurred.

<type 'exceptions.UnicodeEncodeError'>: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\xe1' in position 77: ordinal not in range(128)
      args = ('ascii', u'\n\t<p id="pg008-bk01-pa01"> I now give the floor ...aleano, Deputy Minister of Health of Uruguay.</p>', 77, 78, 'ordinal not in range(128)')
      encoding = 'ascii'
      end = 78
      message = ''
      object = u'\n\t<p id="pg008-bk01-pa01"> I now give the floor ...aleano, Deputy Minister of Health of Uruguay.</p>'
      reason = 'ordinal not in range(128)'
      start = 77