| |
|
| |
 |
| |
Current News |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
June 13, 2008
Braving record-high summer temperatures in New York, RMI Minister of Health Ms. Amenta Matthew addressed the 192 member nations of the UN General Assembly during a High-level meeting on June 10th, with the honor of speaking for the region on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States.
The RMI delegation told the UN General Assembly that infection rates are rising quickly in several island nations, and that “although HIV prevalence remains low in most of our countries, HIV/AIDS continues to be a major concern for all of the Small Island States of the Pacific Region.” The delegation provided an update for the UN on cooperative activities taken under the Pacific Regional Strategy for HIV/AIDS, a global partnership which incorporates principles that acknowledge the traditional, cultural and religious values of Pacific communities.
The RMI delegation also discussed the growing infection rates of tuberculosis, and the need for international action to address the co-infection issue in the Pacific region. In addition, she noted that the regional impacts of climate change; while not a direct cause of the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, climate-related impacts such as population displacement and more intense natural disasters “will significantly weaken our infrastructure, deplete our limited resources and over-stretch our already-challenged healthcare system.”
Finally, speaking from a national capacity, the RMI delegation addressed the threats of HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases to RMI, recognizing recent progress on key goals, including efforts to strengthen national healthcare systems, but also noting that “the risk to our developing, remote island nation is far greater than what the data entails.” RMI also provided a separate national statement which updated the UN in greater detail regarding RMI’s progress – and remaining challenges – in addressing HIV/AIDS.
In addition to addressing the General Assembly, Minister Matthew, in addition to Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Marie Lanwi-Paul and UN Mission charge d’affaires Ms. Rina Tareo actively participated in the High-Level meeting. The RMI delegation attended the opening meeting, which included addresses by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and former US President Bill Clinton. RMI’s delegation also participated in several roundtable discussions regarding both shared strategies for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, as well as designing effective donor aid and global partnerships for HIV/AIDS.
Minister Matthew also recently participated in the World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva, Switzerland from May 19th to 24th. The global meeting featured representatives from 190 nations. In addition to other pressing issues, participants discussed global responses to the harmful use of alcohol, pandemic influenza, as well as the relationship between climate change and public health issues
RMI also attended the Geneva meeting to show RMI’s longstanding support for Taiwan’s petition for participation in the World Health Assembly. While ultimately unsuccessful, this petition for observer status was warmly welcomed by many of the delegations at the meeting. Without an ability to participate in the world’s primary global public health body, Taiwan’s population is effectively restricted from contributing to – and benefiting from – public health programs and urgent health alerts.
-RMI Ministry of Foreign Affairs-
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
