Signing the U.N. Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and expanding U.S. investment in AIDS treatment are two contributions that the United States has recently made to improving global health, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Julie Gerberding as she spoke to the World Health Assembly May 18.

Under way in Geneva May 17-22, this session of health officials and practitioners from all over the world is expected to examine a global strategy for encouraging better diet and physical activity in view of a growing problem of obesity in both the developed and developing world. Gerberding said the United States will endorse proposed World Health Organization (WHO) strategies to promote broader implementation of health awareness and disease prevention programs.

"There is no time to lose -- our waistlines are expanding while our health is deteriorating," Gerberding said. "The time for action is now."

Two broad outbreaks of rare infectious diseases in Asia in 2003 and 2004 are also matters of grave concern for the international network of health experts in Geneva for the World Health Assembly. The need for global cooperation in fighting disease is one of the messages that has emerged from those episodes, Gerberding said.

"If we are serious about stopping disease outbreaks in their tracks, we cannot ignore millions of people who are at risk," Gerberding said. "That is why the United States has strongly supported Taiwan's inclusion in efforts against SARS, avian influenza, and the process to revise the international health regulations. Remember -- public health knows no borders."

China has lobbied actively to block even the placement of consideration of Taiwan's observership on the WHO agenda even though WHO observership explicitly does not require statehood and several WHO observers are not nations.

Follow events of the World Health Assembly at http://www.who.int/en/

U.S. Remarks at the 57th World Health Assembly
May 18, 2004
Delivered by Dr. Julie L. Gerberding
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
on behalf of Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services

Good afternoon. Mr. President, Mr. Director-General and Distinguished Delegates:

I am honored to represent Secretary Tommy Thompson. On behalf of President George W. Bush, I would like to reaffirm America's commitment to the World Health Organization. Secretary Thompson has been coming to the World Health Assembly for four years now, and has visited 35 of your countries -- some more than once -- and has been so impressed with the commitment and leadership of so many of you.

The international community has joined together in so many ways to advance the health and well-being of people all around the world. One of our most significant initiatives has been the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. On Monday, [May 10] Secretary Thompson signed the Convention on behalf of the United States of America.

Secretary Thompson is also pleased with our collective efforts in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. President Bush's five-year $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is the largest commitment ever made by a single government towards an international health initiative.

We will seek to provide treatment to two 2 million persons living with HIV or AIDS, provide care to 10 million people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children, and prevent seven million new HIV infections.

To help achieve these goals, President Bush's Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Randall Tobias and Secretary Thompson announced on Sunday [May 16] a new procedure to fast-track approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of fixed-dose combination drugs and blister packs from both innovator and generic companies so that we might purchase them with confidence for the President's emergency plan.

As chairman of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Secretary Thompson is very pleased by the fund's work. It has already approved 224 grant programs in 121 countries that total more than $2 billion. The United States has pledged $1.97 billion to the fund through 2008.

We will stop the AIDS pandemic because we have the will, the means and the passion to do so.

The 57th World Health Assembly will be remembered for its work in diet and physical activity. In the United States, chronic illnesses cause seven out of every ten deaths. In 2000, poor diet and physical inactivity -- which contribute to obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes -- accounted for 400,000 actual deaths in the U.S. Only tobacco caused more preventable deaths.

Diet, physical activity, screenings and avoiding risky behaviors can prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other leading causes of death and disability. This applies to developed and developing countries alike. People who eat right, exercise and get health screenings enjoy greater health and happiness well into old age.

The W.H.O. Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health as now drafted can serve as a sound blueprint for action for all of us. There is no time to lose -- our waistlines are expanding while our health is deteriorating. The time for action is now.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is nearing the end of a long campaign. In April, Secretary Thompson visited Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, and immunized children against polio. This effort is a model of public-private cooperation in pursuit of a humanitarian goal. The United States government, in partnership with the W.H.O., UNICEF and the Rotary Foundation, has played a leading role in this initiative.

Today, we stand at the brink of a great victory. For only the second time in history, we are in a position to completely eliminate a disease from this planet. We are committed to staying the course. We will succeed if we resolve to finish this job together.

We also remain committed to working with member governments and the W.H.O. to develop and support the global outbreak alert and response network, stronger surveillance networks, shared information systems and more effective communication channels.

On behalf of Secretary Thompson, I would like to thank the Director General for his leadership in establishing the new W.H.O. Strategic Health Information Center that is hope for your viewing this week, which the Department of Health and Human Services helped design and in which HHS has invested many resources this year.

The recent outbreak of avian influenza throughout Asia is unprecedented and reminds us just how much more work we have to do before we are prepared nationally and globally. We need to work together more to strengthen our influenza surveillance, reporting and control capabilities.

Mr. President, last year Secretary Thompson spoke about the global threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS. Our diligence has prevented a repeat of the SARS epidemic. This year, we managed to deal with avian influenza effectively. Undoubtedly, this won't be the last time that there will be a health threat in the region that requires regional and global coordination.

If we are serious about stopping disease outbreaks in their tracks, we cannot ignore millions of people who are at risk. That is why the United States has strongly supported Taiwan's inclusion in efforts against SARS, avian influenza, and the process to revise the international health regulations. Remember -- public health knows no borders.

My friends, let us never forget that our common agenda for health transcends governments, cultures, language and politics. We can accomplish so much more by working together. Again, on behalf of Secretary Tommy G. Thompson I would like to thank you for your leadership and compassion, but most of all for your friendship.

Thank you very much.