In the final discussion of the World Health Assembly, Member States
noted with appreciation new Global Health Sector Strategies for HIV,
viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections for the period
2022-2030. WHO is looking forward to implementing the core elements of these strategies with all Member States and was heartened to see their broad support for ending these diseases.
The global health sector strategies aim to
reignite momentum in the responses to these diseases that had been
eroded by disruptions to services during the COVID-19 pandemic. They set
out to simultaneously strengthen responses to specific diseases while
increasingly integrating them into broader health frameworks and taking
opportunities, where feasible, to increase impact by addressing aspects
of the diseases jointly.
The strategies call for a more
precise focus to reach the people who are most affected and most at risk
for each disease, and to address inequities. They promote synergies
under a universal health coverage and primary health care framework.
They also outline actions to identify and manage future outbreaks of
HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, as well as
other emerging health threats, as these arise.
HIV, viral
hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections present ongoing and
persistent public health challenges and combined, are responsible for
2.3 million deaths and are associated with 1.2 million cases of cancer
each year.