Note: Owing to the liquidity crisis and the current COVID-19 pandemic impacting our Organization, only a partial summary of statements made in today’s General Assembly debate on HIV/AIDS is available at this time. The complete summary will be issued later as Press Release GA/12346.
Statements
ROSHAN POKHAREL, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal, said that his country’s success in reducing AIDS-related deaths by 55 per cent between 2010 and 2020, and the rate of new infections by 64 per cent, conceals gaps in full access to essential HIV and related services for people who are most at risk of HIV infection. “Ending inequality of access to health services is sine qua non for ending AIDS.” Nepal works closely with civil society and community-based organizations in combating HIV/AIDS, but it looks forward to enhanced cooperation from its bilateral and multilateral development partners as well. Only by putting people and communities at the heart of response efforts, and by ensuring that they benefit from HIV/AIDS-related development goals, can the AIDS epidemic in Nepal be overcome by 2030, he said.
VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta), speaking on behalf of the LGBTI Core Group, welcomed the United Nations inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons (LGBTI) in all its AIDS-related endeavours, but expressed regret that they are once again not explicitly included in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS adopted by world leaders in the General Assembly on 8 June. Discriminatory laws and practices which reinforce intersecting and compounding forms of inequality across demographics must end. Data shows that HIV infections among gay men has increased by 25 per cent since 2010; that the risk of acquiring HIV is 26 times higher among gay men and other men who have sex with men; and that the risk of acquiring HIV is 13 times higher for transgender persons. “Without specialized strategies that recognize the higher vulnerability of key populations … we will not see the end of HIV,” she said. Everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, must enjoy access to HIV prevention methods and treatment. Otherwise, LGBTI will be left behind on the path towards an AIDS-free world by 2030. She went on to request more international cooperation for those countries whose HIV programmes have been limited by the COVID-19 pandemic.
FRED SARUFA (Papua New Guinea) said that HIV has been a great teacher — and COVID-19 a frightening reminder — that pandemics require a well-coordinated response across countries and borders. “We must regroup and build back better our responses to HIV and AIDS and other pandemics” with stronger and reimagined health-care systems, as well as greater partnerships with civil society, community and faith-based organizations and the private sector. Papua New Guinea’s commitment to work with key populations — including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people and prisoners — has demonstrated that inequalities in accessing health services can and must be reduced, he added.
PHILIP ODIDA (Uganda) said that HIV/AIDS remains a leading cause of death in his country, where the burden on the health-care system has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Uganda is committed to ending inequalities and getting back on the track to end AIDS by 2030. Its efforts include a Presidential Fast Track Initiative which calls for engaging men in HIV prevention, closing the tap on new infections among adolescent girls and young women, and consolidating progress on ending mother-to-child HIV transmission, among other things. Overcoming challenges going forward — including scaling up prevention programmes for key populations and ensuring safe and equitable access to medicines for all — will require closer cooperation and coordination at the international level and within the United Nations system, he said.
The representative of Saudi Arabia said that the Government works to promote individual and collective health through preventative treatment programmes for AIDS, to counter stigmatization and discrimination and to protect the rights of the infected, including children, women and youth. Detailing a national programme and a royal edict established to this end in 1994 and 2018, respectively, he said that national efforts also focus on information campaigns designed to raise social awareness and measures to protect the right to education and work for those infected with the virus. These efforts have helped Saudi Arabia to significantly reduce the number of new infections. Turning to the Political Declaration adopted on 8 June, he disassociated from a number of paragraphs therein, as they contain “highly controversial phrases” and give the impression that the international community encourages practices that are illegal and unacceptable both morally and religiously in Saudi Arabia.
MAJID TAKHT RAVANCHI (Iran) said that unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States on his country are having an adverse impact on its HIV/AID response and health systems. They are hindering access to medical products and affordable technology, as well as partnerships with international financial institutions. Jeopardizing the health and safety of entire populations for political ends is not only illegal, but also a war crime and a crime against humanity which the international community must strongly oppose. He went on to say that implementation of HIV/AIDS policies, including the Political Declaration, must be consistent with the laws and development priorities of Member States. They must also respect various religious values and cultural backgrounds.
The representative of Panama, welcoming the Political Declaration adopted on 8 June, said that the Government continues to work to reduce inequalities and provide quality treatment for those infected with the virus. She stressed that the disease’s differentiated impact requires increased focus on gender inequalities in response, particularly through measures to assist women and girls. Panama is among the most-affected countries by HIV/AIDS in the region and, over the last few years, the nation’s most infected group has been young people aged 20 to 34. In response, the Government launched a national strategy in September 2020 to extend health coverage to include HIV services and provide antiretroviral treatment free of charge. She called on the international community to work towards eliminating taboos and shedding light on the struggle against the virus in order to move towards fairer, more inclusive societies.
The representative of Dominican Republic, noting that COVID-19 demonstrated the destructive power of a microscopic virus, said that, while new HIV infections have been reduced to 1.7 million in 2019, this figure is more than three times higher than the international community’s original goal for 2020. The global goals set out in the political declaration adopted in 2016 have been largely missed, which has allowed the AIDS pandemic to grow in many countries and regions around the world. Some countries are regressing, particularly with respect to key populations who are not only vulnerable to the virus, but also to discrimination based on economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Underscoring that “ultimately, inequalities fuel the HIV pandemic”, he detailed national policies aimed at assisting key populations, including those designed to ensure community participation and access to services and to reaffirm principles of non-discrimination.
The representative of Qatar said that his country supports all international efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and to help all those affected by the virus. Its national programme to combat AIDS prioritizes awareness-raising and providing the best care possible for infected persons. To guarantee a healthy life for all, and on the Emir of Qatar’s directive, the Qatar Fund for Development has agreed to give $50 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with the aim of eradicating those epidemics by 2030, he said.
The representative of Hungary said that with a collective push, it is possible to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS once and for all. Steps being taken by Hungary include fighting stigma and discrimination aimed at those living with HIV/AIDS, with special attention given to at-risk groups in rural areas where detection levels are lower. Prevention efforts target the lay public, at-risk groups such as men who have sex with men, and pregnant women. All HIV patients have access to the latest antiretroviral drugs “almost free of charge” and receive care in central hospitals and facilities which specialize in infectious diseases. Due to such effective policies, the number of people in Hungary newly diagnosed with HIV is below 200, with 42 recorded AIDS cases in 2020, in a country of 9.8 million. That shows that it is indeed possible to prevent and suppress HIV/AIDS through comprehensive and targeted action, she said.
The representative of Mali said that his country is heartened by the progress that has been made against HIV/AIDS in recent years, including in the areas of mother-to-child transmission and medical research. Going forward, Mali will continue to focus on providing health-care services and access for its people, especially the most vulnerable. With the support of partners and civil society, Mali has reduced the HIV prevalence rate to about 1 per cent, but that progress is fragile, particularly given the security situation that the country has faced since 2012. International cooperation must be ramped up, together with efforts to mobilize the private sector and civil society, including traditional and religious leaders, he said.
The representative of Kuwait, aligning herself with Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, noted various successes achieved by global efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, including the bolstering of national health-care systems. This progress falls short of the goals the international community set for itself, however, and those suffering from AIDS continue to be subjected to social exclusion, discrimination and stigmatization. COVID-19 has added to these challenges, demonstrating the weakness of health-care systems and exacerbating the inequalities that hinder the provision of health care to those infected with HIV/AIDS. Stressing the importance of the Political Declaration as AIDS remains a danger to global public health, she emphasized that the Declaration must comport with national legislation, as well as cultural and religious values.
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