Public health and development: AIDS policy of the Community and the Members States in the developing world

In adopting the report by Mr Gerhard SCHMID (PSE, D), the European Parliament put most emphasis on the link between AIDS and poverty. It highlighted, in particular, the threat of this pandemic to the health care systems in developing countries. In a context of limited financial resources, it asked that all resources be used as effectively as possible. It hoped that all of the Community's development policies would incorporate the aspect of AIDS and, in this respect, that the Commission would propose an action programme to combat AIDS in developing countries that would be implemented through cooperation and/or collaboration with governments and local NGOs. This programme should concentrate on the following elements: - the provision of HIV-free blood supplies, combined with a ban on the uncontrolled sale of blood; - improving the systems for informing medical staff about transfusion practices; - encouraging the use of disposable syringes; - stepping up information to opinion-formers (teachers, local leaders, journalists, etcetera) as well as promoting the distribution of radio receivers so that information to the population may be improved; - increasing the population's awareness of the use of condoms; - pursuing a policy to prevent the disease among women and children; - helping to set up advisory and care facilities; - encouraging all prophylactic measures. Parliament also asked that greater attention be paid to the socio-economic situation of AIDS sufferers. All measures should be concentrated on the poorest regions in the developing countries. It was particularly important to combat all forms of "sex tourism", which encouraged the spread of the disease, and Parliament hoped that measures would be taken to put a stop to this type of tourism. It also proposed the creation of database to store global statistics on AIDS and asked that work be initiated among local populations to ensure that moral attitudes to condoms did not prevent their use. Parliament stressed that the fight against AIDS undeniably required greater coordination of the Community's policies in this area with those of the Member States. Finally, it called on the United Nations to declare a "Decade against AIDS" by means of which efforts would be coordinated to combat this disease. �