HC Deb 29 July 1988 vol 138 cc788-90W

The World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention, involving delegates from 148 countries representing the vast majority of the people of the world, makes the following declaration:

1. Since AIDS is a global problem that poses a serious threat to humanity, urgent action by all governments and people the world over is needed to implement WHO's Global AIDS Strategy as defined by the Fortieth World Health Assembly and supported by the United Nations General Assembly.

2. We shall do all in our power to ensure that our governments do indeed undertake such urgent action.

3. We undertake to devise national programmes to prevent and contain the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection as part of our countries' health systems. We shall involve to the fullest extent possible all governmental sectors and relevant nongovernmental organizations in the planning and implementation of such programmes in conformity with the Global AIDS Strategy.

4. We recognize that, particularly in the absence at present of a vaccine or cure for AIDS, the single most important component of national AIDS programmes is information and education because HIV transmission can be prevented through informed and responsible behaviour. In this respect, individuals, governments, the media and other sectors all have major roles to play in preventing the spread of HIV infection.

5. We consider that information and education programmes should be aimed at the general public and should take full account of social and cultural patterns, different lifestyles, and human and spiritual values. The same principles should apply equally to programmes directed towards specific groups, involving these groups as appropriate. These include groups such as:

policy makers;

6. We emphasize the need in AIDS prevention programmes to protect human rights and human dignity. Discrimination against, and stigmatization of, HIV-infected people and people with AIDS undermine public health and must be avoided.

7. We urge the media to fulfil their important social responsibilities to provide factual and balanced information to the general public on AIDS and on ways of preventing its spread.

8. We shall seek the involvement of all relevant governmental sectors and nongovernmental organizations in creating the supportive social environment needed to ensure the effective implementation of AIDS prevention programmes and humane care of affected individuals.

9. We shall impress on our governments the importance for national health of ensuring the availability of the human and financial resources, including health and social services with well-trained personnel, needed to carry out our national AIDS programmes, and in order to support informed and responsible behaviour.

10. In the spirit of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/42/8, we appeal:

11. We appeal in particular to these bodies to provide well-coordinated support to developing countries in setting up and carrying out national AIDS programmes in the light of their needs. We recognize that these needs vary from country to country in the light of their epidemiological situation.

12. We also appeal to those involved in dealing with drug abuse to intensify their efforts in the spirit of the International

(a) Gross Expenditure (England) in £million (cash)
National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service Family Practitioner Services Central Health and Miscellaneous Services Other NHS Capital Personal Social Services
Current Capital
1974–75 3,426 2,353 243 697 130 3 692
1975–76 4,511 3,082 327 925 172 5 927
1976–77 5,149 3,518 356 1,078 192 5 1,060
11977–78 5,689 3,936 315 1,220 212 6 1,160
1978–79 6,426 4,422 366 1,473 158 7 1,313
1979–80 7,640 5,298 405 1,731 194 12 1,601
1980–81 9,970 6,989 556 2,173 241 12 1,974
1981–82 11,182 7,717 671 2,504 268 22 2,176
1982–83 12,197 8,284 701 2,894 301 18 2,382
1983–84 12,921 8,709 725 3,110 350 26 2,577
1984–85 13,871 9,205 817 3,419 404 27 2,738
1985–86 14,678 9,699 888 3,600 451 40 2,906
1986–87 15,789 10,421 961 3,871 489 45 3,233
(est.) 1987–88 17,367 11,477 1,026 4,296 526 42 n/a
(plan) 1988–89 18,985 12,629 1,017 4,743 555 41 n/a

Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (Vienna, June 1987) with a view to contributing to the reduction in the spread of HIV infection.

13. We call on the World Health Organization, through its Global Programme on AIDS, to continue to:

  1. (i) exercise its mandate to direct and coordinate the worldwide effort against AIDS;
  2. (ii) promote, encourage and support the worldwide collection and dissemination of accurate information on AIDS;
  3. (iii) develop and issue guidelines on the planning, implementation monitoring and evaluation of information and education programmes, including the related research and development, and ensure that these guidelines are updated and revised in the light of evolving experiences.
  4. (iv) support countries in monitoring and evaluating preventive programmes, including information and education activities, and encourage wide dissemination of the findings in order to help countries to learn from the experiences of others.

14. Following from this Summit, 1988 shall be a Year of Communication about AIDS in which we shall:

15. We are convinced that, by promoting responsible behaviour and through international cooperation, we can and will begin now to slow the spread of HIV infection.