General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

26 October 1987

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                        A/RES/42/8
                                                        48th plenary meeting
                                                        26 October 1987
 
    Prevention and control of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Deeply concerned that acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused
 by one or more naturally occurring retroviruses of undetermined origin, has
 assumed pandemic proportions affecting all regions of the world and represents
 a threat to the attainment of health for all,
 
      Having considered World Health Assembly resolution WHA40.26 of
 15 May 1987 on the Global Strategy for the prevention and control of AIDS and
 Economic and Social Council resolution 1987/75 of 8 July 1987 on the
 prevention and control of AIDS,
 
      Recognizing the established leadership and the essential global directing
 and co-ordinating role of the World Health Organization in AIDS prevention,
 control and education, and related research and public information and, in
 this context, the vital importance of the World Health Organization Special
 Programme on AIDS,
 
      1.   Commends the World Health Organization for its efforts towards
 global AIDS prevention and control and, in particular, for its support for
 national AIDS programmes and regional activities, including the meeting of
 Ministers of Asian and Pacific Governments at Sydney, and the forthcoming
 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS prevention to be
 held in London;
 
      2.   Confirms that the World Health Organization should continue to
 direct and co-ordinate the urgent global battle against AIDS;
 
      3.   Commends those Governments which have initiated action to establish
 national programmes for the prevention and control of AIDS in line with the
 Global Strategy of the World Health Organization, and urges other Governments
 to take similar action;
 
      4.   Calls upon all States, in addressing the AIDS problem, to take into
 account the legitimate concerns of other countries and the interests of
 inter-State relations;
 
      5.   Invites the World Health Organization to facilitate the exchange of
 information on and promotion of national and international research for the
 prevention and control of AIDS through the further development of
 Collaborating Centres of the World Health Organization and similar existing
 mechanisms;
 
      6.   Requests the Secretary-General, in view of all aspects of the
 problem, to ensure, in close co-operation with the Director-General of the
 World Health Organization and through the appropriate existing mechanisms, a
 co-ordinated response by the United Nations system to the AIDS pandemic, and
 urges all appropriate organizations of the United Nations system, including
 the specialized agencies, bilateral and multilateral agencies and
 non-governmental and voluntary organizations, in conformity with the Global
 Strategy, to support the world-wide struggle against AIDS;
 
      7.   Invites the Director-General of the World Health Organization to
 report to the General Assembly at its forty-third session, through the
 Economic and Social Council, on new developments in the global AIDS pandemic,
 and requests the Economic and Social Council to consider the report in
 accordance with its mandate.