Statement by Bill Gates, Tim Wirth and Gordon Conway

Trevor Neilson
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Phone: 206.709.3100, Email: [email protected]

SEATTLE — We want to highlight our shared agreement that the world’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS must include a balanced approach: we must work together on prevention as well as treatment. The world must work to stop more people from becoming infected, as well as treat those who have already contracted HIV/AIDS.

We seek to emphasize the work that is going on within the public health community to create a balanced program:

· On prevention — sharply increased public education programs, commodity availability (including male and female condoms), broadened access to health care, prevention of mother to child transmission, attention to personal behavioral responsibility and increased vaccine research are among the steps that will require greater attention and resources;

· On treatment — increased and cost effective availability of antiretrovirals is essential, but is only one component of the complex management of HIV positive patients. Treatment and prevention of HIV-related diseases such as sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, pneumonia and meningitis are also central to care. Action research and training must propel the rapid development and responsible scaling up of comprehensive AIDS care programs.

The UN General Assembly has called for a Special Session in late June to help focus the attention of the world’s political leadership on the global catastrophe which is the HIV epidemic. At this time we hope that the world’s political leadership will join in our support of the balanced, broad public health programs that are needed, including sharply increased financial resources for both prevention and treatment programs.

As presidents of American philanthropies deeply involved in international public health issues (prevention and treatment), we are committed to assisting Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his agencies, the public health community, citizens groups and science/academic leadership in working to address this worldwide emergency in a comprehensive and responsible fashion and in helping to mobilize the huge resources necessary for fighting this global scourge.

We look forward to working with various partners in building the balanced, financed and politically committed global programs that are so desperately needed.