Ensuring people's lives

In the 20th Century, humankind engaged in two World Wars. After the second one, that ended with the use of the most powerful killing weapon ever, political leaders realised it was necessary to create an instrument in order to try to avoid similar circumstances. Representatives met in San Francisco, US, to create the United Nations, which funding chart states that:

”The peoples of the United Nations [are] determined (…) to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small (…)“.

To make that mandate a reality, in December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That document refers to the right to health and life in two important articles:

”Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.“

”Article 25, 1: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.“

Since its foundation, UN has devoted its efforts to maintaining the World security and the peace amongst nations dealing with actual or potential armed conflicts. But in 2001, for the first time, representatives from the countries which are members of the UN organisation and have signed the Declaration of Human Rights, formally also declared that a disease was threatening the planet’s security: AIDS. Governments accepted that AIDS was a huge international problem and challenge and if we were to accomplish the mandate and rights which fundament the UN idea and values, that political action and leadership was needed to tackle its impact.

The general public –however you define it- may have the impression that this commitment is not met basically in developing countries, mainly Africa. But this is far from truth. In Europe, both Western and Eastern (where is the real border line?), governments don’t do enough or just don’t do anything meaningful to try to reverse the spiralling HIV/AIDS pandemic in the access to prevention, treatment and care.

In different Western countries, AIDS and its related diseases are still an important cause of death for young adults. That is led specially, but not only, by the phenomena of late and dual diagnoses (people diagnosed of HIV and AIDS at the same time, often in a very deteriorated health condition, that is not possible to reverse even with HAART), lack of adaptation of the health system to socially excluded groups, and organ –being liver the most relevant- failure in people living with HIV and other infections.

In the Eastern region, access to basic tools (condoms, clean needles, therapeutic drugs) varies from limited to non-existent. Concretely, access to antiretrovirals and co-infection medicines is not possible because either drug companies don’t market them, because the price is too high for the national standards, or because National Health Systems don’t really exist or if they do, they don’t cover HIV and related disease therapy.

Next May 31st, nations of the World will reconvene in New York to account what governments have accomplished of their 5 year old commitment. Europe cannot go there just to show off that we are better than others. Mainly, because here in Europe this is not a reality for a large portion of our population. And secondly, because we failed to meet the goals adopted in the 2001 Declaration of Commitment after much thought and discussion.

It will be however a great opportunity for Europe to renew that commitment and develop leadership in front of its own citizens and of the rest of the World. Planning, allocating and/or putting in to place the adequate policies and resources will show clear evidence and will send a sound message that this time we will not miss the chance. And we will not because we seriously believe in the ”dignity and worth of the human being“.

EATN - European AIDS Treatment News, Volume 15, I – Spring 2006

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