IAPAC Welcomes USA’s Recommitment to WHO
Statement by Dr. José M. Zuniga
President/CEO and Trustee At-Large
International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
21 January 2021 • Washington, DC, USA
“Viruses know no boundaries. International cooperation in public health is thus critical to eliminate the threat that the COVID-19 pandemic poses globally. The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) thus welcomes today’s announcement by the Biden Administration’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci, that the United States of America is re-joining the World Health Organization (WHO) as a member-state. This important step is of great importance if we are to collectively end the COVID-19 pandemic, but also as we strive to regain our momentum across various health responses, including HIV, TB, viral hepatitis, and other diseases that contribute to morbidity and mortality.
The WHO, with which IAPAC has historically partnered on the global HIV response, requires strengthening, including in relation to pandemic preparedness and response. Moreover, the WHO is undergoing necessary reforms to align with the needs that a global health agency should ably fulfill in the 21st century. We are therefore encouraged that the United States of America is committed to working constructively with other member-states to transform the WHO into such an agency so that it may fulfill its mission to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable with measurable impact.”
###
About the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
With more than 30,000 members globally, IAPAC is the largest association of clinicians and allied health professionals working to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and viral hepatitis by 2030. IAPAC is also the core technical partner of the Fast-Track Cities initiative and the Secretariat for its Fast-Track Cities Institute (https://www.ftcinstitute.org/). For more information about IAPAC and our global activities, please visit: https://www.iapac.org/
