Joint Statements

World Health Professions Alliance Resolution on HIV/AIDS
Geneva, Switzerland, 16 May 2004

Recognising that

• the current HIV/AIDS pandemic presents an extraordinary health, human rights and humanitarian crisis;
• especially women and children are affected;
• focused prevention programs can significantly reduce new infections;
• treatment options allow HIV positive persons to lead a quality life;
• without the appropriate prevention and treatment this crisis will worsen to a level where some countries’ populations may be decimated and their futures destroyed; and

That countries at the heart of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, provided they are supported with the necessary financial and human resources, can rise to the challenge.

Therefore we, as leaders of the medical, nursing and pharmacy professions, call on all national governments, intergovernmental agencies and health professionals to recognise the scale of the tragedy, to stop procrastinating and to commit, immediately, the necessary funds and resources against HIV/AIDS.

As health professional leaders we give our full commitment to this cause and call on all physicians, nurses and pharmacists to act as strong advocates and social leaders in the war against HIV/AIDS.’

• The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of 129 national nurses' associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide.  Operated by nurses for nurses since 1899, ICN is the international voice of nursing and works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
  
  
• The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of the national organisations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists.  Pharmacists are health professionals dedicated to improving the access to and value of appropriate medicine use.
  
  
• The World Dental Federation (FDI) is the authoritative, worldwide voice of dentistry with more than 150 member associations in 134 countries around the world, representing more than 900,000 dentists internationally.
  
  
• The World Medical Association (WMA) is the global federation of national medical associations, representing the millions of physicians worldwide.  Acting on behalf of physicians and patients, the WMA endeavours to achieve the highest possible standards of medical science, education, ethics and health care for all people.

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