WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Fifty-fifth session Manila, Philippines 13-17 September 2004
WPRJRC55INGO/5
15 September 2004
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
Agenda item 13
STATEMENT BY MS HIROKO MINAMI REPRESENTATIVE, INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF NURSES (lCN) Dear Dr Omi and all the colleagues in the WHO-Western Pacific Region On behalf of the International Council of Nurses (lCN) , thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important subject. As you know, ICN is a federation of national nurses associations (NNAs) in 125 countries. Its mandate is to improve standards of nursing practice, education, management and research and to strengthen the contribution of nurses to health systems at all levels. Above all our goal is healthy people in a healthy world. •
The International Council of Nurses applauds the WHO Regional Office for its initiatives to tackle the heavy burden of the HNIAIDS epidemic, particularly by delivering antiretroviral therapy. Nurses are fundamental to this initiative and to ensuring a continuum of prevention, care and treatment in HIV/AIDS. lCN calls on WHO Regional Office, governments and others to involve nurses at policy level in initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. ICN also calls on WHO and governments to target health professionals with HIV/AIDS for priority access to treatment as a means to sustaining health system capacity.
Mr. Chairman, the Regional Office's initiatives to prevent HIV transmission and to provide comprehensive care and treatment will not be achieved if health care providers are themselves ill and dying of HIV/AIDS. ICN believes protecting health care workers through education, and treating health care workers who have needle stick injuries, and those HIV positive is critical to maintaining an effective infrastructure for caring for the region's people.
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WPR/RC55/NGO/5 page 2
In conclusion leN takes this opportunity to assure you of its continued commitment to
partnership with WHO and to strengthening nursing's capacity to combat the HN epidemic and provide compassionate care.